The return of the Ayatollah -- Iranian history -- Shi'ism in Iran -- The last Shah -- Ayatollah Khomeini -- The Islamic Revolution -- The new Islamic Republic -- The Islamic Republic and the outside world -- Oil and the Islamic Revolution -- Iran and the U.S.: the hostage crisis -- War between Iran and Iraq -- War between Iran and Iraq -- The end of the Iran - Iraq war -- Human rights in Iran -- The Rushdie affair -- The death of Khomeini -- Iran and the United States -- Iran and Europe -- A time fo reform -- Khatami's second term -- The "axis of evil" -- Iran and nuclear weapons -- Iran faces the future.