USIran

US Iran relations refer to the diplomatic, political, and security relationship between the United States and Iran. The two countries have a long history of hostility and limited cooperation, shaped by competing regional interests, ideology, and concerns about nuclear proliferation.

Historical background includes the 1953 CIA-backed coup that helped restore Prime Minister Mohammad Mossadegh’s overthrow and reinforced the Shah’s rule, fostering long-standing suspicion of U.S. influence. The 1979 Islamic Revolution transformed the relationship, leading to the severing of diplomatic ties and the 444-day hostage crisis at the U.S. Embassy in Tehran. Throughout the 1980s, the United States supported Iraq in the Iran-Iraq War, while naval confrontations and the 1988 shooting down of Iran Air Flight 655 heightened tensions. The Iran-Contra affair in the same decade involved secret arms sales to Iran to fund Contra rebels, further complicating trust between the two states.

In the following decades, U.S. policy emphasized sanctions and containment in response to Iran’s nuclear program and regional influence. A notable shift occurred with the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), in which Iran agreed to limit its nuclear activities in exchange for relief from many sanctions. The United States withdrew from the JCPOA in 2018 and reimposed stringent sanctions, initiating a period often described as maximum pressure and contributing to renewed economic hardship in Iran.

Efforts to revive or renegotiate the JCPOA have continued intermittently since 2021 amid broader regional tensions, shifting domestic politics, and evolving enforcement of sanctions. The bilateral relationship remains a central element of U.S. Middle East policy and nonproliferation diplomacy, with ongoing debate over security, diplomacy, and economic engagement.