Stolen Revolution: Betrayal and Hope in Modern Iran

"An essential history. . . . This is a gutting, decade-spanning, and human account of how the elimination of the monarchy in Iran cleared room for the authoritarian conditions under which Iranians continue to struggle today, as well as the ongoing price of resistance."
—New York Magazine

“Engrossing and revelatory. . . . It’s a credit to the reporting and narrative talents of Torbati and Sharafedin. . . that Stolen Revolution never devolves into a catalogue of despair. . . . As this book movingly documents, the repeated willingness of ordinary Iranians to risk their lives to demand change, even against overwhelming odds and with little external support, is stirring.”
—Air Mail

“The best book to understand Iran today…. a masterful narrative that moves seamlessly between grand historical turning points and the intimate details of private lives. Through the stories of six individuals—from a cleric who helped build the Islamic Republic to young women defying it in the streets—they reveal how the revolution shaped these people, and how their decisions, compromises, and acts of resistance shaped Iran in turn. Beautifully written, perfectly timed, and impossible to put down.”
—Edward Fishman, Director of the Center for Geoeconomic Studies at the Council on Foreign Relations and author of Chokepoints

“Rigorous and revelatory, a kaleidoscopic history of modern Iran that is gripping and suspenseful and endlessly interesting. Torbati and Sharafedin tell the vivid story of a group of idealists who have crashed up against the realities of a revolutionary project gone terribly awry. A masterwork of reporting, this book is a kind of skeleton key for understanding the present moment.”
—Jonathan Blitzer, author of Everyone Who is Gone Is Here

“A profoundly affecting account of life in modern Iran through the eyes and experiences of a group of remarkable – and remarkably brave – individuals. It is also a sobering examination of the brutal instruments of repression the regime employs to maintain power. This is one of the most incisive works on Iranian society in a generation.”
—Scott Anderson, author of King of Kings

“A brilliant investigative history of modern Iran, a powerful story of ambition and survival amid the deepening coercion and repression of the Islamic regime. With prodigious research and unforgettable characters, the authors reveal the truth about Iran’s tumultuous revolutionary epoch —from mullahs to start-ups — and offer hope for a future beyond it.”
—David E. Hoffman, author of The Billion Dollar Spy and The Dead Hand, winner of the Pulitzer Prize

“Stolen Revolution is truly revelatory. It is at once a searing expose—showing how the Islamic Republic really works, and for whom—and a tragic tale of all that has been robbed, materially and morally, of Iranians who sought to make their country a better place. It is investigative and narrative journalism at their best.”
—Laura Secor, author of Children of Paradise

“Anyone who cares about the future of Iran should read Stolen Revolution. Yeganeh Torbati and Bozorgmehr Sharafedin explain how the 1979 revolution was subverted by Iran's corrupt and arrogant leaders—and how courageous Iranians continue to fight for a free and modern country. The Iranian people's struggle should inspire us all.”
—David Ignatius, columnist, The Washington Post

"This excellent, rigorous, sensitive book tells the tragic but often inspiring story of Iran over the last fifty years. It is a rare window into a rich and varied world of protest, ideology, hope and fear. Essential for anybody interested in the country and the Middle East"
—Jason Burke, author of The Revolutionists

"Stolen Revolution is a must-read for anyone seeking an honest appraisal of revolutionary Iran and the bloody twists and turns of its theocratic regime. By narrating Iran’s convulsive modern history through the lives of six Iranians in clear prose and engaging personal detail, authors Bozorgmehr Sharafedin and Yeganeh Torbati have turned a potentially complex story into one that is compulsively readable, and they deserve high praise for this achievement. I found Stolen Revolution unputdownable, and cannot recommend it highly enough."
—Jon Lee Anderson, author of Che Guevera

"A rare and riveting chronicle of a major political story of our time. Powerful personal stories are woven together to provide new insight and understanding. Well-researched, well written, and well worth reading."
—Lyse Doucet, BBC Chief International Correspondent and senior presenter

"Stolen Revolution is a vital dissection of Iran’s Islamic Republic over the past fifty years. Through the eyes of people at the heart of the country’s progressive resistance, Bozorgmehr Sharafedin and Yeganeh Torbati reveal the deepest flaws of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s regime in Iran and the inspiring resilience of those fighting for its improvement. With the world’s gaze on Iran’s future, this compelling history is a must-read."
—Cara McGoogan, author of The Poison Line

‘Stolen Revolution is a captivating read, and illuminates the human motivations that drove the 1979 revolution and its fallout. Sharafedin and Torbati's intimate storytelling makes you feel like you have the rare privilege of really knowing the six Iranian protagonists – who will go on to surprise you in the decisions they take. Whether this is your first book on Iran or your tenth, it will show you something new.’
—Yuan Yang, author of Private Revolutions

"This book would have been important to read at any time. But now it is essential reading, with the dire situation in the Middle East, and the wholesale slaughter of Iranian civilians by their own government. How could a revolution of such hope 47 years ago have led to this regime which has descended Iran into a perpetual hell, and for which it has no moral purpose? How could such a talented, delightful people be fated to have such a vicious, and appalling government? You will find answers here. This book is beautifully written, and its portrayal of the lives of key Iranians betrayed by the revolution, extraordinarily powerful."
—Jack Straw, former British Foreign Secretary

"Rarely has a book been so timely, and so apposite. By chronicling the Iranian revolution through the lives of six Iranians – in the tradition of John Hersey’s classic Hiroshima – Sharafedin and Torbati tell the story of modern Iran in a compelling and accessible way. Essential reading for anyone who wants to understand the protests that broke out in January 2026, and the Islamic Republic’s resistance to the subsequent attacks by the US and Israel."
—Lindsey Hilsum, International Editor, Channel 4 News and author of I Brought the War With Me

"Journalists Torbati and Sharafedin succeed in getting a diverse group of Iranians to share intimate truths, including some that may put them at risk. The result is a nuanced portrayal of a conflicted society and a broad condemnation of key actors, including those who, despite good intentions, “nonetheless birthed devastation when they sacrificed accountability, political inclusion, and the rule of law.” Recent hostilities only amplify this invaluable book's urgency."
—Booklist (starred review)

“A modern history of Iran, told through the experiences of citizens across a range of sectors. . . . A sort of “profiles in courage” approach [that] captures the evolution of personal ideologies and allegiances and grants illuminating detail to global conversation. . . . We are left with a portrait of a nation more nuanced, complicated, and promising than the world—and perhaps even its own leaders—have fully appreciated. . . . A consciousness-changing record of the oppression of extremism lived and resisted at the personal level.”
—Kirkus Reviews

BOZORGMEHR SHARAFEDIN began his journalism career in Iran, rising to editor in chief of the most popular youth political magazine in the country. In 2008, he left Iran for the BBC in London. He joined Reuters in 2015, where he shared a National Press Club Award. He moved to Washington, D.C. in 2024 and works as the head of digital at Persian-language Iran International.