Iran-US Relations
Historical Arc
US-Iran relations have followed a trajectory from close Cold War-era alliance to deep adversarial confrontation. The 1979 Islamic Revolution and subsequent hostage crisis (444 days, 1979-1981) marked the rupture. Iran designated a state sponsor of terrorism by the US State Department since 1984. Key escalatory milestones include: US withdrawal from JCPOA (2018), assassination of IRGC General Qasem Soleimani by US drone strike (January 2020), and Iran's retaliatory strikes on US bases in Iraq. The 2026 military operation represents the most direct US-Iran military confrontation since 1988 (Operation Praying Mantis).
- Iranian Revolution: 1979; hostage crisis: November 1979 – January 1981
- Iran designated state sponsor of terrorism (US): 1984
- JCPOA collapse: 2018-2020
- Soleimani assassination: January 3, 2020 (Baghdad airport drone strike)
- IRGC: Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps — Iran's elite parallel military
- Operation Praying Mantis (1988): Last direct US-Iran naval battle, in Persian Gulf
● Tracked since February 28, 2026 · last seen March 23, 2026 · updates as the daily brief publishes
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