US and Iran: A brief history of how decades of mistrust and bad blood led to open warfare

Some major events in the history of US-Iran relations highlight differences between the countries’ views, but others have presented real opportunities for reconciliation.

By: Jeffrey Fields, USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences, The Conversation

Outlets: The Conversation

Published: April 4, 2026

Words: 2,074

Last Updated: 3 months, 3 weeks ago

Body Text Preview

By Jeffrey Fields, USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences

With U.S. bombs raining down on Iran and Tehran’s leaders responding by hitting targets across the Persian Gulf and restricting transit through the Strait of Hormuz, it is fair to suggest that the present moment represents a low in relations between the two countries.

But the bad blood isn’t new: The U.S. and Iran have been in conflict for decades – at least since

Create a free account to access this story and more

Join Plucky Wire to access full stories, collaborate with newsrooms, and discover content from networks around the world.

About

FAQ

Email Us