Tensions Grow Between Iran and the U.S

By Grace Nelson

An overview of Iran and the United State's rocky relationship.

With the recent assassination of General Qasem Soleimani, and the bombings of US military bases in Iraq, the tensions between our countries continue to rise. Talk of World War III seems more possible every year to our generation who has never seen our country outside of the war on terror. Our relationship with Iran and many other countries have felt just like business as usual. But how did we get here? And what’s going to happen next?

To understand now, we have to go back to the beginning: 1953. In 1953, Iran had elected a new leader who planned to nationalize Iranian oil that was at the time a property of a British oil company. Our alliance with Britain led to a coup, building a severe propaganda campaign against the elected Prime Minister and showing support for the previous monarch, Shah according to Public Radio International. This coup would completely change the course of Iran’s history, forever tainting US-Iranian relations.

In the years following, our primary interaction was only through trade over a nuclear cooperation agreement. The US, in exchange for security in the region, poured resources into Iran, greatly strengthening its political power. Their nuclear knowledge grew to a point that left many countries concerned that Iran could gain possession of nuclear weaponry. This led to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons in 1970. This essentially stated that Iran would reduce its nuclear research and prevent them from pursuing nuclear weapons. With this treaty, our relationship seemed cordial, but Iran was working through internal power struggles. The people of Iran were growing spiteful towards the Shah as well as the US, culminating in a revolution.

This revolution was only made more fierce when troops in Iran open fired on its protesting civilians. Hundreds of people were killed, and the US could do nothing to stop the revolution on its way. Imam Khomeini, leader of the revolution, called for an Islamic state. The revolution quickly takes control of the military and the media, and on April 1, 1979, Iran became the Islamic Republic of Iran. The violence of the revolution, however, continued. Each day headlines would appear from the execution of the people of the old regime. At the same time, the US attempted to make a humanitarian effort later that year that would prove to decimate any chance of saving our relationship with Iran.

The former leader, Shah, who had been overthrown was sick with cancer but was allowed into the US to receive treatment. This was assured to be a humanitarian gesture, but many Iranians feared that the US and the Shah were conspiring once again. Sparked by this fear, a mob of Iranian students stormed the US embassy in Tehran and took 66 Americans hostage. They wanted to destroy any relationship our countries had with one another and would not free the hostages until the Shah was returned to Iran for trial. President Carter’s response was to be expected. He banned Iran’s oil imports and froze their assets. Carter stated, ”It's vital to the United States and to every other nation, that the lives of diplomatic personnel and other citizens abroad must be protected. And that we refuse to permit the use of terrorism and the seizure of hostages to impose political demands. No one should underestimate the resolve of the American government and the American people in this matter.” The UN and most of the world was on the US’s side, but the hostages would still not be released.

It is two years later in 1981 that an agreement is made to release the hostages. Carter’s presidency was destroyed, and the 66 Americans were able to return home on the day of President Reagan’s inauguration, 444 days after our people were taken hostage.

After the Iran hostage crisis, the US and Iran had no relations but were forced to continue acknowledging each other during the Iran-Iraq war. The US showed its support for Iraq and continues to show it’s thoughts on Iran when the US declares it a state sponsor of terrorism. While Iran and the US’s hate for each other seemed clear, the US continued to sell weapons to Iran in what came to be known as the Iran-Contra affair. A scandal that would shock many Americans and lead to officials of Reagan’s administration to be charged with lying to the congress. Even though this may seem like a hopeful sign that our relationship can be salvaged, the tension between Iran and US only worsened.

The US shot down an Iranian flight that held civilians making the pilgrimage to Mecca due to allegedly mistaking the flight for a fighter jet. Our sanctions on Iran only increased, and even when President Clinton attempted to mend the relationship in 2000, the attempt was met with a scoff from the Iranian people.

All of this conflict leads up to one of the most impactful moments in US history: 9/11. After the terrorist attack, even though there seemed to be cooperation between Iran and the US against their shared enemy, the Taliban, in 2002, Bush included Iran in part of what he calls the “Axis of Evil”. Iran is forever seen in American’s eyes as part of 9/11 which resulted in the death of 3000 people. Concern of Iran’s nuclear research grows although it is claimed to be purely for energy capabilities. Sanctions on Iran continue to grow until 2012 when President Obama increases these sanctions to a point that Iran’s economy cannot sustain. Iran and the US finally begin communication on solving this nuclear issue.

In 2015 an agreement was finally reached called the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action which will have Iran decrease its nuclear research in exchange for the countries of the west easing sanctions. This seems to be making great progress towards some sort of amicable relations until 2018, when President Trump walks away from this deal stating that “this was a horrible one-sided deal that should have never, ever been made. It didn’t bring calm, it didn’t bring peace, and it never will.”

These tensions only continue growing until now: 2020. On January 3, President Trump authorizes an airstrike, killing the Iranian General Qasem Soleimani. It is claimed that Soleimani’s life was a threat to US safety. Many people anticipate another world war on the horizon. US military bases in Iraq have been attacked by Iran, but there has been warning of these attacks by Iran, and while there’s been injuries, there have been no casualties due to these missile strikes.

These recent developments between our countries have left many people fearful, but internal conflict in Iran seems to have delayed any further escalation of the situation. Iran is again suffering from the sanctions held by the US. Many people feel that the current government is in fact a dictatorship oppressing its people. Iran could not begin a world war in its current state. The real question we should all be asking is: will there be another revolution?