Whether as friEND or foe, Iran continues to play a pivotal role in a strategically vital area of the world. Straddled between the world's two major energy basins, the Persian Gulf and the Caspian Sea, and possessing a rich reservoir of hydrocarbon resources as well as diverse minerals and a large and growing population, Iran remains important in economic terms. However, the Islamic Revolution of 1979 thrust Iran back onto the political centre stage and dramatically altered the relationship between Iran and the West. Modern Iran since 1921 places these developments in an historical context, and looks at how Iran sought to respond to the challenge of the West through reform and revolution, to reverse the decline of the previous century with a development programme that would catapult the country back into the top division. This new interpretation combines detailed historical narrative with comprehensive analysis and explanation of political, social and economic developments in Iran during the 20th century. It emphasises those factors which have helped shape attitudes and policies in an effort to explain the complex cultural polity that is modern Iran. Ali M. Ansari is Lecturer in Political History of the Middle East, University of Durham. He is the AUTHOR of Iran, Islam and Democracy: The Politics of Managing Change (2000).