The Quest for Authority in Iran

Iran's presidents have defined the Islamic Republic's attitudes towards the rest of the world. Never has this been more true than now. In this book Siavush Randjbar-Daemi presents an in-depth analysis of the evolution of the Iranian presidency from its inception in the aftermath of the Islamic Revolution to the present day. He offers detailed narratives of each president's ascent to the post and their struggles to acquire authority andmaintain relevance within the political process. The figures under consideration include the widely-admired Mohammad Khatami, the internationally-criticised Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and the incumbent president Hassan Rouhani, who steered the decade-long nuclear confrontation between Iran and the West towards a diplomatic conclusion.This book sheds light on the extraordinarily complex workings of the Iranian state, taking into account both the opportunities and challenges that each president has faced whilst in power. It will be essential reading for scholars of Iranian history, political science and international diplomacy.

Siavush Randjbar-Daemi is Lecturer in Modern Middle Eastern History at the University of St Andrews. He was previously Lecturer in Iranian History at the University of Manchester. He holds a PhD from Royal Holloway, University of London. His research interests include the development and evolution of the state and the history of the press in modern and contemporary Iran, as well as protest movements in the modern Middle East. His writings on Iranian history, culture and current affairs have been published in English, Italian and Persian.

Introduction
The Genesis of the Islamic Republic's Executive Branch
15 Months of Crisis: The Presidency of Abolhassan Bani-Sadr
Consolidation and Confrontation: The Khamenei Presidency (1981-1988)
From Imam to rahbar: The Inception of the Post-Khomeini State
The First Tenure of Hashemi Rafsanjani: The Quest for Sazandegi
A Sour Success: Rafsanjani's Re-Election and his Turbulent Second Term
The Presidency of Mohammad Khatami and the Crucible of eslah
A Long Twilight: Khatami's Second Term (2001-2005)
Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and the Struggle for Presidential Authority (2005-2009)
2009: The Struggle for the Islamic Republic
An Agile Lame Duck: The Second Mandate of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, 2009-2012
From Fiery Talabeh to Diplomatic Sheikh: The Rise to the presidency of Hassan Rouhani
Conclusion - An Ongoing Quest for Authority and State-Building