Cambridge University Press Worlds Apart: A Documentary History of US–Iranian Relations, 1978–2018

A relationship beset with extraordinary acrimony, the US and Iran rarely see eye-to-eye, if only to avoid war or nuclear catastrophe. What is at the core of this troubled rivalry that has stymied policymakers and scholars alike? Using a carefully selected collection of White House, CIA, State Department, and other records, Worlds Apart provides a comprehensive answer to this question: starting from the 1979 revolution and hostage crisis, through the Iran-Iraq War and the spread of radical Islam, to 9/11 and the nuclear impasse, to the 2009 Green Movement and the Obama and Trump presidencies. The records, which form the heart of the book, offer a rare, unfiltered view into the perspectives and experiences of the American and Iranian governments over 40 years. Providing timelines, glossaries, discussion questions, and a guide on reading declassified documents, Byrne and Byrne explore this complicated relationship accessibly and innovatively in this unique documentary history. Review 'Four decades ago Iran and the US substituted a close relationship for marked hostility. Byrne and Byrne have brought together in this book a collection of key documents that mark the major turning points - and the viewpoints of the principal actors - of these tumultuous decades. Worlds Apart, the title the authors have chosen for their fascinating collection, is strikingly apt. Their book is a page-turner and a significant contribution to the study of US-Iranian relations since the Islamic revolution.' Haleh Esfandiari, Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars'Through a series of significant documents, expertly given context in an accessible fashion, Byrne and Byrne offer both novices and old hands a unique and reliable tracing of the difficult, often muddled and damaging, history of US-Iran relations during and since the revolution.' Farideh Farhi, Independent scholar'An excellent collection of documents covering all of the major issues in US-Iran relations during the past forty years with introductory material that provides essential context. This will be an essential reference source for anyone interested in this important topic.' Mark Gasiorowski, Professor Emeritus, Tulane University'It's not a pretty story, but it should be required reading to understand how our two countries have been stuck on a road to nowhere for forty years. It's all here: the ignorance, the obliviousness, and the insights ignored. Thanks to the authors for giving us the raw material of history free of biases and personal agendas.' John Limbert, Retired American diplomat and author of Believers: Love and Death in Tehran Book Description An expertly curated and annotated collection of declassified records, revealing the inner workings of US-Iran relations after 1978. About the Author Malcolm Byrne is an award-winning author and editor of several books on US-Iran relations. Since 1997, he has run the nongovernmental National Security Archive's multinational Iran documentation project, based at The George Washington University, and has made numerous trips to the Islamic Republic.Kian Byrne coordinates the Middle East documentation project at the History and Public Policy Program of the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars where he also co-edits and contributes to the program's blog on new archival findings, Sources & Methods. He has researched and travelled through much of the region, including Iran.