
- 400 pages
- English
- ePUB (mobile friendly)
- Available on iOS & Android
About this book
Amongst British diplomats, there's a poignant joke that 'Iran is the only country in the world which still regards the United Kingdom as a superpower'. For many Iranians, it's not a joke at all. The past two centuries are littered with examples of Britain reshaping Iran to suit its own ends, from dominating its oil, tobacco and banking industries to removing its democratically elected Prime Minister, Mohammad Mossadegh, in a 1953 US–UK coup.
All this, and the bloody experience of the Iran–Iraq War of 1980–88, when the country stood alone against an act of unprovoked aggression by Saddam Hussein, has left many Iranians with an unwavering mistrust of the West generally and the UK in particular.
Today, ordinary Iranians live with an economy undermined by sanctions and corruption, the media strictly controlled, and a hardline regime seeking to maintain its power by demonising outsiders.
With tensions rising sharply between Tehran and the West, former Foreign Secretary Jack Straw unveils a richly detailed account of Britain's turbulent relationship with Iran, illuminating the culture, psychology and history of a much-misunderstood nation. Informed by Straw's wealth of experience negotiating Iran's labyrinthine internal politics, The English Job is a powerful, clear-sighted and compelling portrait of an extraordinary country.
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Information
Table of contents
- Praise
- Title Page
- Dedication
- Map
- Contents
- Introduction
- 1: ‘English Is Not the Enemy’
- 2: It’s Always an English Job
- 3: From Fire to Allah
- 4: Shah Ismail I – Iran’s Henry VIII
- 5: The British Monopolies That Triggered Democracy
- 6: How Oil Trumped Democracy
- 7: Sergeant to Shah – with British Help
- 8: The British (and Soviets) Take Over
- 9: Abadan – Britain’s Humiliation
- 10: Spooks and Coups
- 11: The Shah in His Element
- 12: Khomeini Returns
- 13: The Imposed War
- 14: The Aftermath: The Satanic Verses and Violence
- 15: The Reformers Break Out
- 16: 9/11 and Nukes
- 17: ‘Chocolates, Jack, Chocolates’
- 18: The Halo of Light
- 19: The Sedition of ’88
- 20: The Guy in Your Earpiece
- 21: The Deep State and Iran’s Security
- Conclusion: Iran’s Future
- Appendix: Basij Leaflet in English and Persian
- Acknowledgements
- About the Author
- Index
- Plates
- Copyright