Revised, updated and expanded, this new edition includes political developments in Iran since the summer of 2000. The book looks at the increasing polarity of views and the changing nature of 'reformism' in light of successive setbacks and growing international tensions.

'In this incisive book, one of the leading Iran historians of his generation grapples with the conundrum of the reform movement that sought to reconcile Iran's religious traditions with democratic imperatives, asking what went wrong and why it failed. Ali Ansari gives us a definitive account of the tribulations and triumphs of one of the most important democratic movements in the modern Middle East. This book is a must-read for anyone interested in understanding the Islamic Republic of Iran and its complexities and contradictions.' - Ray Takeyh, Senior Fellow, Council on Foreign Relations, New York

'This book is a must. Based on his thorough and readable analysis of the political and social dynamics and contradictions of Khatami's reform era, this enlarged and updated edition warns scholars and politicians alike that Ahmadinejad's popular power base should not be underestimated.' - Johannes Reissner, Stiftung Wissenschaft und Politik, Berlin.