The Quest for Authority in Iran: A History of The Presidency from Revolution to Rouhani

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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.

Reviews

`Siavush Randjbar-Daemi has an obvious mastery of both the sources and the detail... [he is] among the brightest of the emerging scholars working on modern Iranian history.' - ALI ANSARI, PROFESSOR OF MODERN HISTORY, UNIVERSITY OF ST ANDREWS, `Siavush's work is outstanding... His approach is also highly original, so it will be a significant new addition to the literature on the subject... I would highly recommend his book to anyone with an interest in the politics of Iran, including journalists, foreign affairs experts of many kinds, academics, students and many English-speaking Iranians.' - VANESSA MARTIN, PROFESSOR OF MIDDLE EASTERN HISTORY, ROYAL HOLLOWAY, UNIVERSITY OF LONDON, `[This book] succeeds in bringing out the ways in which the distinctive office of the presidency in Iran operates in a maze of institutions that are themselves shot through with personal ties and relationships... very well written and a pleasure to read.' - CHARLES TRIPP, PROFESSOR OF POLITICS, SCHOOL OF ORIENTAL AND AFRICAN STUDIES (SOAS), UNIVERSITY OF LONDON, `Highly recommended... this book is thoroughly researched... well written, and highly focused on an important topic in contemporary Iran.' - ERVAND ABRAHAMIAN, DISTINGUISHED PROFESSOR EMERITUS OF MIDDLE EAST HISTORY, CITY UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK (CUNY)

Author Bio

Siavush Randjbar-Daemi is Lecturer in Modern Middle Eastern History at the University of St Andrews. He was previously Lecturer in Iranian History at the University of Manchester. He holds a PhD from Royal Holloway, University of London. His research interests include the development and evolution of the state and the history of the press in modern and contemporary Iran, as well as protest movements in the modern Middle East. His writings on Iranian history, culture and current affairs have been published in English, Italian and Persian.