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Beginning of the relations
Relations between the two nations began in the mid-to-late nineteenth century. Initially, while Iran was very wary of British and Russian colonial interests during the Great War, the United States was seen as a more trustworthy Western power, and the Americans Arthur Millspaugh and Morgan Shuster were even appointed treasurers-general by the Shahs of the time. -
World War 2
During World War II, Iran was invaded by the United Kingdom and the Soviet Union, both US allies, but relations continued to be positive after the war until the later years of the government of Mohammad Mossadeq, who was overthrown by a coup organized by MI6 and aided by the CIA. This was followed by an era of close alliance between Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi's regime and the American government, which was in turn followed by a dramatic reversal and hostility between the two countries after the -
IRANIAN REVOLUTION
The 1979 Iranian Revolution, which ousted the pro-American Shah and replaced him with the anti-American Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khomeini, surprised the United States government. -
Iran-Iraq War
The war began when Iraq invaded Iran, launching a simultaneous invasion by air and land into Iranian territory following a long history of border disputes, and fears of Shia Islam insurgency among Iraq's long-suppressed Shia majority influenced by the Iranian Revolution. -
US attack of 1988
the United States launched Operation Praying Mantis against Iran, claiming that it was retaliation for the Iranian mining of areas of the Persian Gulf as part of the Iran-Iraq war. The American attack was the largest American naval combat operation since World War II. -
Iran Air Flight 655 tragedy
Near the end of the Iran–Iraq War, the U.S. Navy guided missile cruiser USS Vincennes shot down Iranian Airbus which was on a scheduled commercial flight in Iranian airspace over the Strait of Hormuz. The attack killed 290 civilians from six nations, including 66 children. The United States has expressed regret for the loss of innocent life but has not apologized to the Iranian government. -
Embargo by USA
a total embargo on dealings with Iran by American companies was imposed by Bill Clinton.The next year, the American Congress designed an act to prevent other countries from making investments in Iranian energy. The act was denounced by the European Union as invalid, but it blocked some investment for Iran. -
After 9/11
Following the September 11 attacks, Iranians gathered in the Maidan-e-Mohseni shopping area in northern Tehran in a candlelit vigil for the victims of the attack. These vigils were violently broken up by Ansar-e-Hezbollah hardliners.anti-American billboards can be found in Iran and the slogan "death to America" is heard in Friday prayers, some have noted that Iran "just might" have the "least anti-American populace in the Muslim world". -
Bush Administration
George W. Bush gave his "Axis of evil" speech, describing Iran, along with North Korea and Iraq, as an axis of evil and warning that the proliferation of long-range missiles developed by these countries constituted terrorism and threatened the United States. The speech caused outrage in Iran and was condemned by reformists and conservatives -
Border incursions begin
Several claims have been made that the US has violated Iranian territorial sovereignty since 2003, including drones,soldiers,and provocations and bombings by former or current members of the MEKand the Party for a Free Life in Kurdistan. -
Mahmoud Ahmadinejad
Mahmoud Ahmadinejad became Iran's president, giving Iran a religious and conservative president. The following month, the U.S. State Department was accused of refusing to issue visas for Iran’s parliamentary speaker, Mousa Qorbani, and a group of senior Iranian officials to participate in a meeting held by the United Nations (UN). According to UN rules, the United States must grant visas to senior officials from any UN member states to take part in UN meetings, irrespective of th -
Iran's Uranium Report
American and European representatives noted that Iran has enough unenriched uranium hexafluoride gas to make ten atomic bombs, adding that it was "time for the Security Council to act". -
Letter to Bush
Ahmadinejad sent a personal letter to President Bush to propose "new ways" to end Iran's nuclear dispute.U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and National Security Adviser Stephen Hadley both dismissed it as a negotiating ploy and publicity stunt that did not address American concerns about Iran's nuclear program. Ahmadinejad later said that "the letter was an invitation to monotheism and justice, which are common to all divine prophets". -
UN General Assembly Debate
Bush insisted "there must be consequences" for Iran's continued enrichment of uranium. He said that "the world now faces a grave threat from the radical regime in Iran."Ahmadinejad invited Bush to a debate at the UN General Assembly, The debate was to be about Iran's right to enrich uranium. The invitation was promptly rejected by White House spokesman Tony Snow, who said "There's not going to be a steel-cage grudge match between the President and Ahmadinejad. -
Warship
The American government has stated that naval stand-offs between Iranian speedboats and American warships occurred in the Strait of Hormuz -
Ahmadinejad's speech
Ahmadinejad described the September 11 attacks as a "suspect event", saying that all that happened was that "a building collapsed". He stated that the death toll was never published, that the victims' names were never published, and that the attacks were used subsequently as pretext for the invasions of Afghanistan and Iraq.That October, he expressed happiness about the 2008 global economic crisis and what he called "collapse of liberalism". -
IRGC terrorist designation
The United States branded the IRGC a terrorist organization, and Iran responded by declaring the CIA and U.S. Army to be terrorist organizations. -
Obama administration
Two days after Barack Obama was elected president in November 2008, Ahmadinejad issued the first congratulatory message to a newly elected American president since 1979: "Iran welcomes basic and fair changes in U.S. policies and conducts. I hope you will prefer real public interests and justice to the never-ending demands of a selfish minority and seize the opportunity to serve people so that you will be remembered with high esteem". -
Saberi's prison
Iranian-American journalist Roxana Saberi was sentenced to eight years in prison after being convicting of spying for the United States. She was accused of possessing a classified document but denied the charge. After spending four months in prison, she was released in May, and the charge was dropped -
Iranian presidential elections
Obama said of the Iranian presidential election: "We are excited to see what appears to be a robust debate taking place in Iran".Ahmadinejad's landslide win, which led to fraud allegations and widespread protests, received little comment from the United States. -
American hikers arrested
Three American hikers were arrested in Iran after they crossed into Iranian territory. Reports say the hikers accidentally crossed into Iran while hiking between Halabja and Ahmad Awa in the Kurdish Region of Iraq. -
BBC Reportation
Iranian nuclear scientist Shahram Amiri disappeared and Iran accused the United States of abducting him. The BBC reported that Amiri had taken refuge in the Iranian interests section of Pakistani Embassy in Washington, D.C. and sought help to reach Iran -
Warnship
Iran's army chief warns "We recommend to the American warship that passed through the Strait of Hormuz and went to Gulf of Oman not to return to the Persian Gulf". However, this was laterly denied by the Defense Minister of Iran.The warship is believed to be the American aircraft carrier the USS John C. Stennis which recently vacated the area as Iran conducted a 10-day naval exercise near the Strait of Hormuz.
