From the internationally renowned expert on international security, nonproliferation, and disarmament issues comes a thorough history and analysis of the evolution of weaponry in Iran from the beginning of the twentieth century until today.

The question of whether Iran will gain the upper hand in the showdown with Western powers by becoming a nation of nuclear weapons is paramount and has brought the world to the brink of a new nuclear age in which the possession of nuclear weapons becomes the rule rather than the exception. How we got to this point is the subject of François Heisbourg’s urgent and up-to-the-minute exposé. He covers the origins and motivation for Iran’s decision to test the West and go nuclear, the current state of the country’s ballistic and nuclear program, the influence and weight of the various external actors and their interests (United States, Israel, China, Russia, India, and Europe), Iran’s internal situation and power struggles, and the attitudes of its Arabic neighbors. Heisbourg leaves out no details as he examines the possible scenarios, whether they be cooperation, coercion, or confrontation, and in the latter case, what kind of confrontation, and with what consequences. The book has been written as events unfold and will be published in France in September just as the United Nations meets to discuss the Iran question.