Iran's presidents have defined the Islamic Republic's attitudes towards the rest of the world. Never has this been more true than now. In this book Siavush Randjbar-Daemi presents an in-depth analysis of the evolution of the Iranian presidency from its inception in the aftermath of the Islamic Revolution to the present day. He offers detailed narratives of each president's ascent to the post and their struggles to acquire authority and maintain relevance within the political process. The figures under consideration include the widely-admired Mohammad Khatami, the internationally-criticised Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and the incumbent president Hassan Rouhani, who steered the decade-long nuclear confrontation between Iran and the West towards a diplomatic conclusion. This book sheds light on the extraordinarily complex workings of the Iranian state, taking into account both the opportunities and challenges that each president has faced whilst in power. It will be essential reading for scholars of Iranian history, political science and international diplomacy.

The Iranian People’s Fada’i Guerrillas have received little dedicated scholarly investigation in the shadow of the Iranian Revolution. This unique collection combines scholarly analysis of the movement, with first-hand accounts from those within the movement, in order to shed light on the experiences, organisation and history of this group during the 1970’s. The volume is partly composed of eyewitness accounts from veteran Fada’i members on themes such as everyday life in safehouses, the activities of the small but active Fada’i representation abroad, the experience of Fada’i men and women who were subject to long imprisonment in the 1970s or perspectives on military organisation. Alongside these accounts are scholarly investigations into the various aspects in the history of the organisation, which cover elements such as its ideological foundations and political orientation, the importance of the Iranian labour movement in Fada’i thought and praxis and the impact of guerrilla activism in the arts.

This comprehensive collection addresses the important question of political parties in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA). Written by historians, political scientists, and sociologists of the region, the book provides a pertinent analytical framework to understand the often complex and turbulent histories of these political parties, their role within the region, and their prospects in the wake of the post-2011 Arab Uprisings. The authors explore a rich and varied range of case studies including Iran, Turkey, Palestine, Egypt, Lebanon, and Morocco. This book examines where political parties and organizations have been crucial to shaping contemporary historical events and political contestation, but also highlights their shortcomings and failures to deliver on the ambitions and hopes they had often evoked amongst their supporters. Furthermore, it looks at how political parties and their activities have intersected with important issues and themes such as gender, human rights, international solidarity, revolution and social transformation, and sectarian identity. This book will be of great interest to students and researchers of political science, particularly within the MENA region. It was originally published as a special issue of the British Journal of Middle Eastern Studies.

This comprehensive collection addresses the important question of political parties in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA). Written by historians, political scientists, and sociologists of the region, the book provides a pertinent analytical framework to understand the often complex and turbulent histories of these political parties, their role within the region, and their prospects in the wake of the post-2011 Arab Uprisings. The authors explore a rich and varied range of case studies including Iran, Turkey, Palestine, Egypt, Lebanon, and Morocco. This book examines where political parties and organizations have been crucial to shaping contemporary historical events and political contestation, but also highlights their shortcomings and failures to deliver on the ambitions and hopes they had often evoked amongst their supporters. Furthermore, it looks at how political parties and their activities have intersected with important issues and themes such as gender, human rights, international solidarity, revolution and social transformation, and sectarian identity. This book will be of great interest to students and researchers of political science, particularly within the MENA region. It was originally published as a special issue of the British Journal of Middle Eastern Studies.

Iran's presidents have defined the Islamic Republic's attitudes towards the rest of the world. Never has this been more true than now. In this book Siavush Randjbar-Daemi presents an in-depth analysis of the evolution of the Iranian presidency from its inception in the aftermath of the Islamic Revolution to the present day. He offers detailed narratives of each president's ascent to the post and their struggles to acquire authority and maintain relevance within the political process. The figures under consideration include the widely-admired Mohammad Khatami, the internationally-criticised Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and the incumbent president Hassan Rouhani, who steered the decade-long nuclear confrontation between Iran and the West towards a diplomatic conclusion. This book sheds light on the extraordinarily complex workings of the Iranian state, taking into account both the opportunities and challenges that each president has faced whilst in power.