Iranians during an anti-US and anti-Israeli rally in Tehran on June 20, 2025.
Photographer: Morteza Nikoubazl/NurPhoto/Getty ImagesThe Complex History of US-Iran Relations: A Visual Timeline
Tracing the roots of the discord between two of the world’s most bitter foes.
The latest clash between the US and Iran is the culmination of decades of hostility and mistrust between the two countries. US President Donald Trump took the conflict to a new level with extensive air attacks on Iran on Feb. 28, which were conducted alongside Israel. Announcing the operation, he made clear one objective was regime change, urging Iranians to rise up and overthrow the Islamic theocracy that has governed their country since 1979. Later, Trump said the attacks had killed Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
Here’s a rundown of major events that have defined the US-Iran relationship over the years.