Iran is an ancient country, an oil-exporting economy and an Islamic Republic. It experienced two full-scale revolutions in the 20th century, the latter of which had large and important regional and international consequences, including an eight-year war with Saddam Hussein's Iraq. And now in the 21st century, it confronts issues and experiences problems which have important implications for its future development and external relations. In the domestic sphere, the country faces conflicts over national identity and ethnic minorities, democracy and human rights, personal and political freedoms, women's rights, youth culture, full employment, the economy and the use of the oil revenues, and the widening gap between rich and poor. Regarding external affairs, there are more or less severe problems both in regional and in global relations, headed by the ongoing conflict with the west over Iran's nuclear energy programme.

（伊朗）霍馬•卡圖簡

著名社會學傢、曆史學傢、文學評論傢、詩人，英國牛津大學聖安東尼學院伊朗傳統基金會研究員、埃剋塞特大學政治係名譽研究員、《伊朗研究》主編。

（英）侯賽因•沙希迪

貝魯特美國大學傳播學助理教授。曾任記者，服務於英國廣播公司達20年之久。2003—2004年，在阿富汗聯閤國婦女發展基金會擔任性彆和媒體專傢。