The History of the Iran–United States Conflict: Rooted in the 1979 Revolution

World attention is on the increasingly heated Iran–United States conflict, with concerns that the dispute could widen to a World War III. However, the relationship between the Islamic Republic of Iran and the United States has not always been adversarial; at one time both sides shared a common framework in the region. As explained in The United States and Iran: From Past Complicity to the Fight Against the ‘Satans’ by Dr Bichara Khader, prior to 1979 Iran was allied with the United States under the Shah, with cordial relations. How did the ties deteriorate to the point of clashes? The following outlines the chronology of the Iran–United States conflict. 1979: Islamic Revolution. Iran, initially under American influence, began to distance itself following the Islamic Revolution of 1979. This shifted the two countries apart in line with diverging interests. 1990–2013: The Nuclear Issue, and International Sanctions on Iran. Before the 1990s, Iran had devoted significant attention to its nuclear programme, which continued into the 1990s with cooperation from China and Russia. The move drew admonition from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and outraged the United States. As a result, Iran faced international sanctions from the United Nations Security Council in 2006, causing economic difficulties and fuelling anti-American sentiment. The sanctions remained in place until 2013, when Hassan Rouhani rose to leadership and Iran became more amenable to discussions, particularly on the nuclear issue, in an effort to repair the economy. 2015: The Nuclear Agreement or Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA). In 2015, the JCPOA was achieved, resulting from diplomatic negotiations involving the United States, the United Kingdom, France, Russia, China, Germany, and Iran. The JCPOA restricted Iran’s nuclear development in return for the relief of international sanctions and granted the IAEA access to monitor Iran’s nuclear programme, including possible on-site inspections. 2018: US Exit from JCPOA; Sanctions on Iran Reimposed. Under Donald Trump’s leadership, the United States withdrew from the JCPOA on 8 May 2018, triggering the reimposition of international sanctions on Tehran. This unilateral action did not involve the other signatories and heightened the confrontation between the United States and Iran. The withdrawal was not sudden; even within the agreement, the US and Iran remained at odds. The United States felt the deal did not sufficiently constrain Iran and believed changes were needed. In 2017, a year before the exit, the United States introduced new sanctions: Iran was accused of supporting militancy and developing ballistic missiles, which Iran viewed as violations of the nuclear deal; in response, Iran stepped up missile development. 2023–Present: The US and Israel vs Iran. The confrontation broadened after the 7 October attack by Hamas in Israel, prompting a deepening of US–Iran tensions. Iran, viewed as supporting Hamas, found its position under pressure; Israel and the United States launched direct strikes against Iran. The already tense relationship between Tehran and Washington has become more fraught, with reports that the Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was killed in a joint US–Israel strike a few days earlier. Causes and Impacts of the Iran–United States Conflict. The following outlines the causes and effects of the conflict. Causes: - Loss of US influence in Iran following the 1979 Islamic Revolution. - Iran’s nuclear programme, which led the United States to impose sanctions, culminating in a downturn in Iran’s economy. As a result, …