Since 1957, Iran has sought to establish its own nuclear program. During the 1980s, Iran’s war with Iraq encouraged the country to continue its nuclear program. According to the Council on Foreign Relations, Iran has made agreements with China and Russia to advance their program over the years. However, in 2002, the International Atomic Energy Agency discovered two nuclear sites that had not been reported to it in Iran, which led to a significant effort in 2003 to disband Iran’s nuclear program.
In 2015, the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) was created by China, Russia, Germany, France, the United States, the United Kingdom and Iran to pave the way for the United Nations Security Council to sanction relief for Iran’s rise in unemployment. According to Conflict With Iran, the JCPOA required Iran to reduce its uranium stockpile by 98 percent for fifteen years, as well as decrease the number of centrifuges that were in operation by two-thirds for ten years.
During his first term, President Donald Trump withdrew the United States from the JCPOA because, according to Conflict With Iran, the JCPOA didn’t address Iran’s ballistic missile program or its revisionism. This withdrawal threw Iran into the worst economic crisis that the country had seen in forty years. Then, with tensions high from the war in Gaza, the United States and Iran began to disagree with one another.
In 2025, President Trump began a maximum pressure campaign on the topic of Iran’s nuclear program since the fall of the JCPOA. On June 13, 2025, Israel launched a military strike against Iran in opposition to negotiations. This caused Iran to declare the attack as an act of war, and the country struck back by sending waves of drones and ballistic missiles. In response, President Trump gave Israel his support and voiced his opinion on a change in Iran’s regime.
Since then, the United States and Iran have been at war. Iran closed the Strait of Hormuz, an important oil checkpoint, which has caused a global shock. In retaliation, the United States created a naval blockade against Iran’s ports. Efforts to end the war have been limited and have fallen through so far.
According to NBC News, on Sept. 22, President Donald Trump announced during his address at the United Nations General Assembly that he could “annihilate Iran.” The talks of peace have also been rejected by President Trump. According to the Wall Street Journal, on Sept. 25, President Trump rejected Iran’s seven-day ceasefire proposal. This proposal would’ve reopened the Strait of Hormuz as well as resumed nuclear talks if the United States lifted its blockades on Iranian ports, which is causing significant damage to
the economy of Iran. The President of Iran, Masoud Pezeshkian, claimed that Iran was prepared to move forward with the proposal. According to CNN, President Trump has told staff that after the midterms, a renewed bombing campaign is likely. Officials have stated, however, that the President’s views could change over the coming weeks.
