​​​​​In his book The Iranian Ministry of Intelligence: A Brief History, Stephen R. Ward draws on nearly three decades of experience at the CIA to offer a deep, compelling analysis of one of the Middle East’s most prominent and least studied intelligence services. Across seven chapters, Ward presents a comprehensive view of the Ministry of Intelligence and Security (MOIS), covering core themes: its origins and foundations, leadership, organizational structure, operations, the ministry’s place within Iran’s wider intelligence community, its cultural representations, and a forward-looking assessment of where the institution may be headed.