The author argues that the Ayatollah Khomeini and his Islamic movement should be seen as a form of Third World political populism - a radical but pragmatic middle-class movement that strives to enter, rather than reject, the modern age.

"With a new afterword by the author"--Cover.

As the architect of the Iranian Revolution of 1979, Ayatollah Khomeini remains one of the most inspirational and enigmatic figures of the twentieth century. The revolution placed Iran at the forefront of Middle East politics and the Islamic revival. Twenty years after his death, Khomeini is revered as a spiritual and political figurehead in Iran and in large swathes of the Islamic world, while in the West he is remembered by many as a dictator and the instigator of Islamist confrontation. Arshin Adib-Moghaddam brings together distinguished and emerging scholars in this comprehensive volume, which covers all aspects of Khomeini's life and critically examines Khomeini the politician, the philosopher, and the spiritual leader, while considering his legacy in Iran and further afield in other parts of the Islamic world and the West. Written by scholars from varying disciplines, the book will prove invaluable to students and general readers interested in the life and times of Khomeini and the politics that he inspired.

In 1978, as the protests against the Shah of Iran reached their zenith, philosopher Michel Foucault was working as a special correspondent for Corriere della Sera and le Nouvel Observateur. During his little-known stint as a journalist, Foucault traveled to Iran, met with leaders like Ayatollah Khomeini, and wrote a series of articles on the revolution. Foucault and the Iranian Revolution is the first book-length analysis of these essays on Iran, the majority of which have never before appeared in English. Accompanying the analysis are annotated translations of the Iran writings in their entirety and the at times blistering responses from such contemporaneous critics as Middle East scholar Maxime Rodinson as well as comments on the revolution by feminist philosopher Simone de Beauvoir. In this important and controversial account, Janet Afary and Kevin B. Anderson illuminate Foucault's support of the Islamist movement. They also show how Foucault's experiences in Iran contributed to a turning point in his thought, influencing his ideas on the Enlightenment, homosexuality, and his search for political spirituality. Foucault and the Iranian Revolution informs current discussion on the divisions that have reemerged among Western intellectuals over the response to radical Islamism after September 11. Foucault's provocative writings are thus essential for understanding the history and the future of the West's relationship with Iran and, more generally, to political Islam. In their examination of these journalistic pieces, Afary and Anderson offer a surprising glimpse into the mind of a celebrated thinker.

An “absorbing” account of the CIA’s 1953 coup in Iran—essential reading for anyone concerned about Iran’s role in the world today (Harper’s Magazine). In August 1953, the Central Intelligence Agency orchestrated the swift overthrow of Iran’s democratically elected leader and installed Muhammad Reza Shah Pahlavi in his place. When the 1979 Iranian Revolution deposed the shah and replaced his puppet government with a radical Islamic republic under Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, the shift reverberated throughout the Middle East and the world, casting a long, dark shadow over United States-Iran relations that extends to the present day. In this authoritative new history of the coup and its aftermath, noted Iran scholar Ervand Abrahamian uncovers little-known documents that challenge conventional interpretations and sheds new light on how the American role in the coup influenced diplomatic relations between the two countries, past and present. Drawing from the hitherto closed archives of British Petroleum, the Foreign Office, and the US State Department, as well as from Iranian memoirs and published interviews, Abrahamian’s riveting account of this key historical event will change America’s understanding of a crucial turning point in modern United States-Iranian relations. A Choice Outstanding Academic Title “Not only is this book important because of its presentation of history. It is also important because it might be predicting the future.” —Counterpunch “Subtle, lucid, and well-proportioned.” —The Spectator “A valuable corrective to previous work and an important contribution to Iranian history.” —American Historical Review

Special Features: The author in the 3rd page wrote : "This book is humbly dedicated to all intelligence professionals who willingly sacrificed their life to protect and defend the human being and for the elimination of Terrorism / Erfan Fard" In this book, Fard Talks about these important subjects such as: Quds Force; Esmail Qaani; Iran’s Intelligence Minister; Esmaeil Khatib and M.O.I.S ; the Iran policy of Biden Administration; US Intelligence and the Dilemma of Iran; The FBI and Iranian Espionage; Israeli Intelligence and Terrorism of Iranian regime; Biden’s CIA Director and Iran; Antisemitism and Khomeinism; I.R.G.C. ; Iran’s anti-Mullah protests ; Barnea; Mossad and Iran’s regime; Islamic Caliphate, The Succession ; Raisi, The Slaughterous President; an imminent threat for U.S.; Raisi, malign activities of Quds Force; Iran and the Taliban ; CIA Ring in Iran: “All lies!” ; The Hamas and Islamic Terrorism and etc. On Nov, 2021 , Michael Morell ,The former Acting Director and Deputy Director of The Central Intelligence Agency ( C.I.A.) wrote an advance praise for The Grusoe Mullah. Dr. Morell wrote : Erfan Fard has taken a new and important look at one of the most dangerous regimes on the planet. It should be on the bookshelf of anyone interested in Iran and where it is going ... An Interesting book..." About the author: Erfan Fard is an American-Iranian author of Middle East, Iran, Counter-terrorism books and university researches regarding these issues. His books include After 60 Years: The official Biography of Jalal Talabani, In The Net of Events, an interview with Parviz Sabeti, Nightmare of Evin (memoires of a political prisoner at Evin Prison), and The Iran Transnational Terrorist Network. Fard has also written under the full name Erfan Qaneei Fard. Currently, he is a counter-terrorism analyst and Middle East Studies researcher. Fard was born in Sanandaj on September 21, 1976. He moved as a student to United Kingdom. He attended London Metropolitan University. After Studying in International Security Studies, he attended the California State University's Department of Politics. Fard was a First Author who wrote the official Biography of Jalal Talabani with the authorization of Patriotic Union of Kurdistan in Iraqi Presidency Office in Iraq. Then, Fard wrote an exclusive interview with Parviz Sabeti, a high ranking authority of SAVAK. In the United States , Fard received his degree in political science and history. He has had several interviews with the media, including Voice of America, BBC, Alhurra} Iran International, Iran-e-Fard, and Voice of Israel. Fard resides in Washington, D.C. Fard's earlier books were in Persian. He is also a counter-terrorism analyst and Middle East Studies researcher based in Washington, DC. Fard spent approximately 12 Years researching in the Middle East regarding Transnational Terrorist Network and the destructive role of the Iranian regime's terrorist proxies supported by IRGC Subject: History of Iran (Islamic Republic of Iran)

Emphasizing the interaction between political organizations and social forces, Ervand Abrahamian discusses Iranian society and politics during the period between the Constitutional Revolution of 1905-1909 and the Islamic Revolution of 1977-1979. Presented here is a study of the emergence of horizontal divisions, or socio-economic classes, in a country with strong vertical divisions based on ethnicity, religious ideology, and regional particularism. Professor Abrahamian focuses on the class and ethnic roots of the major radical movements in the modem era, particularly the constitutional movement of the 1900s, the communist Tudeh party of the 1940s, the nationalist struggle of the early 1950s, and the Islamic upsurgence of the 1970s. In this examination of the social bases of Iranian politics, Professor Abrahamian draws on archives of the British Foreign Office and India Office that have only recently been opened; newspaper, memoirs, and biographies published in Tehran between 1906 and 1980; proceedings of the Iranian Majles and Senate; interviews with retired and active politicians; and pamphlets, books, and periodicals distributed by exiled groups in Europe and North America in the period between 1953 and 1980. Professor Abrahamian explores the impact of socio-economic change on the political structure, especially under the reigns of Reza Shah and Muhammad Reza Shah, and throws fresh light on the significance of the Tudeh party and the failure of the Shah's regime from 1953 to 1978.