Iran's controversial presidential election of 2009 produced a profound crisis of authority for the regime in Tehran. This book examines the political context in which the election was held and analyzes the claims of electoral fraud. It describes the consequences of the election and the resulting crisis for the country's political system. Ali Ansari also points out the wider implications of the election for Iran's relations with the outside world and for the question of its nuclear goals. Contents 1. Introduction 2. The 2009 Presidential Election: The Background 3. The 2009 Presidential Election Campaign 4. Groundhog Day: From the Sublime to the Ridiculous 5. Fallout 6. Longer-Term Consequences and Policy Implications 7. Conclusion Praise for Crisis of Authority ""Ali Ansari is rightly acclaimed as one of the most astute observers of modern Iranian society and politics. His combination of historical erudition and political savvy about the labyrinthine structure of power in Iran make his observations on the June 2009 contested election a must-read for anyone interested in the fate of that beleaguered nation and that pivotal event."" —Abbas Milani, Hamid and Christina Moghadam Director of Iranian Studies, Stanford University ""With a precise analytical scalpel, Ali Ansari cuts through the official myths of Iran's controversial 2009 presidential election. This indispensable guide gets to the heart of the most serious political crisis faced by the Islamic Republic, and puts the vote and its violent aftermath into critical historical context. Revolutionary Iran will never be the same, and Ansari —for many years among the most sophisticated observers of Iranian politics —tells us why.'"" —Scott Peterson, author of Let the Swords Encircle Me: Iran —A Journey Behind the Headlines