Dr. Menahem Merhavy of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem's Harry S. Truman Research Institute discusses how religion and history have shaped Iran's culture. He explains the influence of Zoroastrianism and its impact on Judaism, as well as the unique spread of Islam in Iran. The shift from Sunni to Shi'ite Islam and the power of clerics in the country are also explored. The article concludes with the establishment of the Islamic Republic of Iran and the ideology of Ayatollah Khomeini.