To understand contemporary Iran's notoriously complex politics, it is essential to grasp the monumental changes initiated by Mohammad Khatami. The previously little-known cleric stormed to victory in Iran's 1997 presidential elections with nearly 70 per cent of the vote, encouraging Iran's nascent civil society and reform movements to flourish during his eight year tenure as president. Ghoncheh Tazmini's book offers a thought-provoking, astutely close-up yet systematic analysis of Khatami the man and the reform movement that supported him. This book provides a comprehensive and finely detailed introduction to the subtleties of contemporary Iran's complex political culture. At the same time it is an important reference point for a critical period of Iran's post-revolutionary trajectory, especially given the controversial developments in the country after the re-election of President Ahmadinejad in 2009. With new presidential elections looming in 2013, and the importance of Iran once again becoming paramount, this book offers vital analysis for all of those interested in the future of Iranian politics and the reform movement in the country.

Ghoncheh Tazmini is an Iranian-born political scientist who has worked ith research institutes in Europe and Iran. She holds a PhD in International Relations from the University of Kent at Canterbury and she is the author of Revolution and Reform in Russia and Iran (I.B. Tauris, 2012)