A History of US Intervention in Iran.
Click any event below to view the associated media.
US Strikes elementary school in Iran
150+ students children were killed and ~100 people were injured when US missles hit a girl's elementary school in the city of Minab.
Strait of Hormuz Tensions and Oil Shock
Following the strikes, Iran shut down traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, which provides 20-25% of the World's oil. Naval deployments increased, tanker routes shifted, and energy markets reacted sharply, driving oil prices upward amid fears of a broader confrontation.
Start of U.S.–Israeli Strikes
In early 2026, a series of coordinated US/Israel strikes hit Iranian military and logistical sites across the region. The operations targeted missile infrastructure, supply routes, and facilities linked to Iran’s regional network, marking a sharp escalation in the long-running shadow conflict.
Covert Strikes and the U.S.–Israel Shadow Conflict
A series of covert operations, cyberattacks damaging uranium-enriching centrifuges, and targeted strikes, widely attributed to the United States and Israel, have focused on Iran’s nuclear and military infrastructure. These actions, along with Iran’s responses through missile launches and regional partners, form an ongoing shadow conflict.
Nuclear Program and Sanctions
Iran’s nuclear activities drew international scrutiny in the early 2000s, leading to escalating sanctions and negotiations. The 2015 nuclear agreement temporarily limited Iran’s program, but tensions rose again after the U.S. withdrew from the deal in 2018.
Regional Expansion and Influence
In the aftermath of the war, Iran built a network of regional partners and aligned groups across Lebanon, Iraq, Syria, and the Gulf. This strategy strengthened its regional position and created long-term friction with the United States, Israel, and rival Gulf states.
Iran–Iraq War
Saddam Hussein’s Iraq invaded Iran in 1980, launching a brutal eight-year conflict marked by trench warfare, missile strikes, and the widespread use of chemical weapons by Iraq. The war ended in a stalemate with enormous casualties and shaped Iran’s long-term security outlook.
U.S.–Iran Break: The Hostage Crisis
After the revolution, Iranian students seized the U.S. Embassy in Tehran, holding American diplomats hostage for 444 days. The crisis severed U.S.–Iran relations, froze Iranian assets, and cemented decades of hostility between the two countries.
Establishment of the Islamic Republic
Following a national referendum, Iran formally became an Islamic Republic. A new constitution created a system combining republican institutions with clerical authority, placing ultimate power in the hands of the Supreme Leader and establishing the IRGC as a core pillar of the new state.
1979 Revolution
Mass protests, nationwide strikes, and broad public opposition to the Shah culminated in the collapse of the monarchy. The Shah fled Iran, and Ayatollah Khomeini returned from exile to lead a sweeping revolutionary movement that dismantled the old order.
Shah’s Rule and Growing Public Resentment
After being restored to power, the Shah ruled as an increasingly autocratic monarch. Backed by U.S. aid and security support, he expanded his secret police (SAVAK), repressed political opposition, and centralized authority. Widespread resentment grew towards his dictatorship and toward the Western role in his reinstatement.
CIA-MI6 backed coup to reinstall the Shah
Britain, desperate to reclaim Iran’s oil, convinced the U.S. that Mosaddegh was a Cold War threat. Together, the CIA and MI6 executed a covert operation—using propaganda, paid mobs, and political pressure—to overthrow him and reinstall the Shah. Learn more.
Ending British Oil Control
Mosaddegh moved to nationalize Iran’s oil industry , ending British control of its most valuable resource. Britain retaliated with sanctions, a global oil boycott, and covert efforts to undermine his government.
Mossadegh democratically elected
Mosaddegh, a hugely popular nationalist, was chosen Prime Minister by Iran’s elected parliament in a 79–12 vote. His agenda—nationalizing Iran’s oil, empowering elected institutions, ensuring free elections, and limiting the Shah’s monarchy—was both constitutional and widely supported.