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Origins of Iran’s Nuclear Program (1967–1979): Iran’s nuclear journey began in 1967 when it received the Tehran Research Reactor from the United States under the “Atoms for Peace” program. After the 1979 Islamic Revolution led by Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, students seized the US Embassy in Tehran, triggering a 444-day hostage crisis. Iran’s nuclear work slowed under international pressure following the fall of Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi. (Image: Wikimedia Commons)
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Secret Sites and Early Diplomacy (2002–2006): In 2002, Western intelligence and an opposition group revealed Iran’s secret Natanz enrichment facility. Britain, France and Germany began negotiations in 2003, leading to a temporary suspension of uranium enrichment. However, in 2006, after hardliner Mahmoud Ahmadinejad took office, Iran resumed enrichment, collapsing talks with European powers. (Image: Wikimedia Commons)
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Backchannels and the 2015 Nuclear Deal (2009–2015): After Iran’s disputed 2009 election sparked Green Movement protests, secret US-Iran backchannel talks began in Oman under Barack Obama. These efforts culminated in the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), under which Iran limited uranium enrichment in exchange for sanctions relief. (Image: Wikimedia Commons)
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Trump Withdrawal and Escalation (2018–2020): On May 8, 2018, Donald Trump withdrew the US from the nuclear deal, calling it the “worst deal ever.” Iran gradually reduced compliance. Tensions surged after a US drone strike killed Gen. Qassem Soleimani in January 2020. Iran retaliated with missile strikes on Iraqi bases housing US troops. Days later, Iran’s Revolutionary Guard shot down a Ukrainian passenger plane, reportedly mistaking it for a US cruise missile, killing all 176 aboard. (Image: Reuters)
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Natanz Attacks and Uranium Enrichment (2020–2021): In July 2020 and April 2021, explosions and sabotage struck Iran’s Natanz nuclear facility, with Tehran blaming Israel. Meanwhile, indirect US-Iran talks resumed in Vienna under President Joe Biden but failed. In April 2021, Iran began enriching uranium up to 60% purity — its highest level ever and a short technical step from weapons-grade. (Image: Reuters)
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Regional Flashpoints and Proxy Conflicts (2022–2024): After Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022, Moscow relied on Iranian drones and missiles. In October 2023, Hamas attacked Israel, igniting war. Iran-backed Houthi rebels began Red Sea shipping attacks in November 2023. In April and October 2024, Iran launched two unprecedented direct missile and drone attacks on Israel. Israel retaliated with strikes inside Iran, including targeting air defences and missile sites. Senior militant leaders, including Ismail Haniyeh, Hassan Nasrallah and Yahya Sinwar, were killed in Israeli operations. (Image: Reuters)
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Diplomacy Returns — But Fails (2025): Trump returned to office in January 2025. Despite Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei dismissing talks as “not intelligent,” multiple negotiation rounds were held in Oman, Rome and Geneva between April and May 2025. Oman reported “some but not conclusive progress.” By June, Iran rejected a US proposal. The International Atomic Energy Agency declared Iran noncompliant, prompting Tehran to activate a third enrichment facility. (Image: Reuters)
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12-Day War and US Intervention (June 2025): On June 13, 2025, Israel launched a 12-day war against Iran, striking nuclear and military targets. The US intervened on June 22, attacking three Iranian nuclear sites. Iran retaliated by targeting a US base in Qatar. A ceasefire was announced on June 24. (Image: Reuters)
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Sanctions Snapback and Economic Crisis (Late 2025): European powers — France, Germany and the United Kingdom — triggered the “snapback” mechanism to restore UN sanctions by late September 2025 after the UN Security Council failed to block the move. Meanwhile, Iran’s currency collapsed to 1.42 million rials per dollar in December, sparking protests in Tehran’s major markets as inflation surged. (Image: Reuters)
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Protests, Military Buildup and New Geneva Talks (2026): In January 2026, nationwide protests erupted after calls from Iran’s exiled crown prince. Security forces launched a sweeping crackdown, killing thousands and detaining tens of thousands while shutting down the internet. Trump cancelled meetings and deployed the USS Abraham Lincoln carrier group to the region. After drone incidents in the Arabian Sea and tensions in the Strait of Hormuz, indirect talks resumed in Oman and Geneva. On February 26, 2026, Iran and the US are set for new Geneva talks as Washington assembles its largest regional air deployment in decades. (Image: Reuters)