Inside Iran

My Turn to Speak by Abol Hassan Bani-Sadr


Brassey's (subsidiary of Macmillan Publishing), 220 pages





In early February, 1979, Abol Hassan Bani-Sadr was an Iranian refugee living in Paris, a top advisor to Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini. By the end of July, 1981, he was again a refugee in Paris, this time fleeing the wrath of the Ayatollah and his more fanatical disciples. But during the 29 months in between, Bani-Sadr was elected the first President of Iran with nearly 80% of the vote and commanded the Iranian Army in the early months of his country's war with Iraq. What a ride!





The story of his presidency is told in this memoir, and it offers a rare glimpse into the ruling circles of Iran during the first two years of the Islamic Republic. Although he was forced from office nearly 30 years ago, the current Leader (1) Ali Khameini and major politician Ali Akbar Rafsanjani play important roles in Bani-Sadr's story. The book also sheds some light on historical events such as the Hostage Crisis, the Iran-Iraq War and the Arms-for-Hostages trade