The quickening pace of Iran's nuclear activities and its growing proximity to acquiring a usable nuclear device has produced a sense of urgency and alarm amongst the Islamic Republic's potential adversaries. And despite ongoing diplomatic efforts by the international powers, every month that passes is another small step closer to Iran building a full nuclear capability. The Permanent Crisisanalyses the Iranian nuclear crisis in its comprehensive regional and thematic dimensions. It considers the historical and security context to Iran's nuclear ambitions, how Iran has responded to pressure over the past decade, and how the popular upheavals in the Middle East have affected Iran. The monograph also examines efforts to resolve the nuclear dispute, including the long-term prospect of an accommodation with Iran on security issues. While international positions on the dispute may seem irreconcilable, there may be an opportunity for some kind of compromise in the near future, provided diplomatic options are not closed off. Should Iran develop a nuclear capability, though, The Permanent Crisisalso examines the prospect of a nuclear Iran: what a 'nuclear Iran' actually means, how its behaviour might be affected, and what the effect on further proliferation might be.