Introduction

Abstract

In the midst of a chaotic international system, the U.S.-Iran relationship has become increasingly confrontational. The deterioration of relations is not a startling new phenomenon, but rather the culmination of decades of perceived betrayals, open challenges and mutual distrust. Many events and activities have influenced this decline. It is the purpose of this book to examine the major contributing factors in order to gain insights into the relationship and arrive at some potential approaches to ameliorate the conflict. Because the goal is to identify means to improve the situation, the authors strove to avoid bias and present both countries’ perspectives.