Saïd Amir Arjomand paints a subtle and perceptive portrait of contemporary Iran. This work, a sequel to Arjomand's acclaimed The Turban for the Crown, examines Iran under the successors of Ayatollah Khomeini up to the present day. Arjomand draws clear distinctions between the moderates of the initial phrase of the revolution, radicals, pragmatists, and hardliners. Bringing the work up to the present, Arjomand analyzes Iran's foreign policy, including
the impact of the fall of Communism on Iran and Ahmadinejad's nuclear policy.