A Very Short History of Modern Iran

An essential guide to understanding Iran today

Many in the West can name only one event in Iran’s history: the 1979 Islamic Revolution. In the headlines, Iran is portrayed as the antithesis of Western liberal values. But Iran is much more than that. Starting with the Qajar dynasty taking the crown in 1796 and going up to the present day, renowned Yale historian Professor Abbas Amanat takes us through two centuries of Iranian history, untangling its complexities. The Qajars struggled to keep hold of their throne as Britain and Russia vied for Iranian territory during the Great Game. Iran was the first country in the Islamic world to establish a parliament at the start of the twentieth century. On the eve of the Islamic Revolution, Iran was home to more than three hundred wineries. As bombs fall down on Tehran in 2026, after nearly fifty years of Islamic rule, Iran stands at a crossroads. Now, more than ever, we need to understand the nation through its past.