No country in the Islamic Middle East presents as unique and distinguished a history and culture as Iran, which has managed to maintain its inherent characteristics - some of them from pre-Islamic times - over the course of centuries of changing dynasties and rulers. The Shiite faith, the official religion of Persia/Iran since 1501, stands in contrast to the Sunni Arabs who dominate the greater region. Iran endured European colonialism in the 20th century to a greater extent than any other Middle Eastern country, yet after the revolution of 1979, which made Iran the first Islamic Republic, Shiism and Persian culture remain intact. Monika Gronke presents the history of this country from the Islamization of the 7th century to the present in a clear and lively style, and describes the cultural, social, and religious developments that shaped Iran and the Iranian self-image.