Last June, the U.N. Security Council adopted its toughest sanctions against Iran yet. And the U.S., European Union, Australia, Japan, South Korea and Norway followed up with measures of their own.

The No. 1 target? Hog-tie Iran's access to the global financial system, especially major banks.

In the summer of 2009, huge crowds clogged the streets of Tehran. A year later, protests have faded, and two authors discuss the reasons why in a Rundown interview.

U.S. economic sanctions leveled against Iran over Tehran's nuclear program further fueled debate about the possibility of U.S. military action against the country.

A relatively unknown figure before he became mayor of Tehran in 2003, Iran's ultra conservative and outspoken president has ushered in a new era of hard-line policies.