Exeter at the forefront of new diplomatic initiatives on Iran

Michael Axworthy is the Director of the University’s new Centre for Persian and Iranian Studies.  As a historian and former Head of the Iran Section in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, he has a comprehensive knowledge both of Iran's history, and the present situation.
 
Empire of the Mind tells the story of Iranian history from the earliest times up to the present day, from before the Achaemenids through to the Islamic Republic. The book explains the origin of some of the paradoxes of Iran, that derive from Iran’s complex history of Empires, foreign invasions and religious revolutions, giving due attention to minorities like the Jews, Zoroastrians, Armenians, Azeris and Kurds.

It also comments on the troubled relationship between Iran and the US since the revolution of 1979, and urges a negotiated settlement.
 
Michael Axworthy explains, ‘The book highlights the uniqueness of Iranian identity, as one of the oldest continuing civilisations in the world. In doing so, as well as describing political events and covering military and dynastic matters, it emphasises the role of cultural, literary, religious and intellectual movements in Iran, and the leading personalities and ideas that shaped them, in order to demonstrate the way Iran has had an influence in the Middle East and Asia through the power of Persianate culture rather than through conventional political and military means.’
 
This week’s Financial Times featured essay included Empire of the Mind as the most prominent of three recent works on Iran that are opening up space for the diplomatic relationships being considered by Washington.  The review describes the book as ‘a beautifully distilled retelling of Iranian history.’