The United States struck Iran after years of rising tension over Iranās nuclear program, its ballistic missiles, and its reach in the Middle East. Although an agreement to restrain Iranās nuclear program was concluded in 2015 (see Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action [JCPOA]), the United States withdrew from that agreement in 2018 after Pres. Donald Trump said that it did not address enough of the outstanding issues. Attempts to negotiate a new agreement began in 2025 and again in 2026, but those attempts did not succeed. A factor in the negotiations and in the decision to strike were Iranās weakened position due to the Israel-Hamas War, the 12-Day War in June 2025, and the 2026 Iranian protests. For more, see 2026 Iran conflict.
verifiedCite
While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies.
Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions.
Select Citation Style