The Islamic Republic of Iran is highly newsworthy today. It has had a status in international
affairs for millennia, as one of the world’s oldest and richest civilisations. In the last 50 years,
however, it has gained renewed prominence by virtue of a number of developments, including
its coming to the forefront as an energy superpower and as a revolutionary theocracy. As
indicated CSIS Director Jim Judd, these factors have had important regional and international
