In a reassessment of modern Iranian history, Ervand Abrahamian traces its traumatic journey through the twentieth century, from the discovery of oil, imperial interventions, the Pahlavi dynasty's reign, to the 1979 revolution and the birth of the Islamic Republic.

In the intervening years, the country experienced a bitter war with Iraq, the transformation of society under the clergy, and more recently, the expansion of the state and the power struggle between the old elites, intellectuals, and the commercial middle class.

The author is a compassionate interpreter. While skillfully negotiating the upheavals of the country's regional and international politics, at the heart of his book lies the people of Iran. This book is dedicated to them and their resilience, as Iran emerges in the early twenty-first century as one of the most powerful states in the Middle East.

Praise

“Ervand Abrahamian’s book A History of Modern Iran is a wonderfully documented and well-written, interpretive overview of 19th and 20th century Iran. The main developments under the Qajar and Pahlavi dynasties and under the Islamic Republic, the significant role of Shi’ism in Iran’s history, the roots of modernization, the quest for democratic reforms in various circumstances, the people’s participation in the revolutions of 1906 and 1979 – Abrahamian covers all these and much, much more. This book, penned by a leading historian, is essential reading for students and anyone interested in modern Iranian history.” HALEH ESFANDIARI Director, Middle East Program, Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars.

“Ervand Abrahamian’s authoritative overview of twentieth-century Iran fills a major gap in Iranian studies literature. His preference for social analysis and the study of social classes offers an original lens through which readers gain new insights into the drama of the prolonged conflict between traditional interests and growing state power. Drawing on a lifetime of research and writing, Abrahamian has produced a book that successfully combines erudition and original scholarly inquiry with accessibility. Both experts and general readers will benefit greatly from its reading.” ANDREW WHITLEY Director, UNRWA Representative Office.

“Ervand Abrahamian has done for Iran what Tocqueville did for France, showing how the revolution continued the work of the old regime through the ever-expanding power of the state.” EDWARD MORTIMER Senior Vice-President, Salzburg Global Seminar.

Contents

List of illustrations
List of maps
List of tables
Preface
Political “Who’s Who” in modern Iran
Chronology
Glossary
Introduction
1 “Despotic Kings”: The State and Society under the Qajars
The Qajar State
Qajar Society
State and Society
2 Reform, Revolution, and the Great War
The Roots of Revolution
The Coming of the Revolution
The Constitution
The Civil War
The Institutional Dilemma
3 The Iron Fist of Reza Shah
The Coup
State Building
Transformations
State and Society
4 The Nationalist Interregnum
The Notables Reemerge
The Socialist Movement (1941–49)
The Nationalist Movement (1949–53)
The Coup (1953)
5 Mohammad Reza Shah’s White Revolution
State Expansion (1953–75)
Social Transformations (1953–77)
Social Tensions
Political Tensions
One-Party State
6 The Islamic Republic
The Islamic Revolution (1977–79)
The Islamic Constitution (1979)
Consolidation (1980–89)
Presidential Elections (1989–2017)
Modern Iran
Selected Bibliography
Further Bibliography