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3.78 AVERAGE
3.78 AVERAGE
Great primer on Iran/Persian history. First, Persia is a Western Name for Iran. Iranian's have always called themselves Iranian and the country Iran. This is why when the first Pahravies changed the name from Persia to Iran. Next, the long history of being a conquer followed by an even longer history of being subject to out side forces has lead to the Iran first foreign policy of the nation. For the 200 years before 1979 Iran was at the mercy of foreign powers, Russia and Britain. Both nations foreign policy was keep Iran weak and subject to overlordship of one or the other as Russia and the U.K. played the great game for Mid and Central Asia dominance. The Islamic State of Iran moved away from foreign powers to being independent. The U.S. backed this move until Regan got outed by the Revolutionary Guard for Iran Contra. Scooter libby told Tehran in November od 1980 to keep our American citizens hostage until Regan was inaugurated. Tehran was more than happy to comply as Kohmeni had made the Iranian point. Regan worked with Tehran until Iran/Contra broke. But even then Bush one worked with Tehran to not attack Iraq during Desert Storm. Ayatola Kohmenin made a Fatwa that the Islamic Republic would not make or use WMD's. First action he took upon arrival in Tehran in Feb of 79. Kept in place during the Iraq/Iran war with more than a million casualties to Iraqi gas attacks. Not one gas attack initiated by Tehran. Bush two worked with Iran to fund, train, build forces in Eastern Iran that invaded Western Afghanistan and Tehran provided logistical support to the Northern Alliance only to be lumped in with North Korea and Libya as the "Axis of Evil". Still Tehran worked with the Obama administration to field a Nuclear treaty. A treaty that the Trump Administration killed for no good reason. Iran started creating more 20% uranium since the treaty was abrogated by Trump and in GOP minds this is good? Now that Trump is on his way out we have a chance with Biden to reenter the treaty and go toward on a missile treaty with Iran and Israel with the U.S. acting as a faithful broker. Include the Saudies in this deal. Now I am into conjecture. This is a must read for anyone who wants to know how the Iranian's see the world.
An interesting and engaging read. Occasionally wanders off into poetic interludes and over-long descriptions of individuals never mentioned again, but otherwise no complaints.
informative
reflective
medium-paced
Informative and an interesting perspective on Iran from about a decade ago.
Good one volume introduction, bit dated in fragments and some dodgy generalisations
I'd been looking for a good one-volume history of Iran and this one was recommended to me, so when I recently went on a non-fiction reading spree it was one I added to the pile...
In one slim paperback, we're taken from the foundation of Iran, its place within a variety of empires through to independence in the 20th century and the current regime. Along the way, the author also takes small side expeditions into some of the cultural issues that arise, as well as clearly spelling out the whole Shi'a and Sunni split in a way that is quite comprehensible.
All in all, a book that does exactly what it sets out to do, to chronicle the birth and development of a much misunderstood nation, which is never a bad thing.
In one slim paperback, we're taken from the foundation of Iran, its place within a variety of empires through to independence in the 20th century and the current regime. Along the way, the author also takes small side expeditions into some of the cultural issues that arise, as well as clearly spelling out the whole Shi'a and Sunni split in a way that is quite comprehensible.
All in all, a book that does exactly what it sets out to do, to chronicle the birth and development of a much misunderstood nation, which is never a bad thing.