The current war between the United States and Iran did not erupt overnight. It is the result of more than a century of oil politics, foreign intervention, revolution, sanctions, proxy warfare, nuclear tensions, and competing visions of global order.

Here’s the full picture — historically and in the present moment.

From Allies to Enemies: How It All Began The Oil Discovery

In the early 20th century, the discovery of oil in Iran transformed the country’s global importance. Western powers — particularly Britain and later the U.S. — became deeply invested in Iranian energy resources. Oil would become both Iran’s economic backbone and the root of foreign interference.

The 1951 Nationalisation and 1953 Coup

In 1951, Prime Minister Mohammad Mosaddegh nationalised Iran’s oil industry, challenging Western corporate control. In response, Britain imposed a boycott, and in 1953, a UK- and U.S.-backed coup removed Mosaddegh from power.

The coup restored the rule of Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, the Shah, who ruled for the next 26 years with strong American backing. For many Iranians, this event cemented resentment toward Western interference.

The 1979 Iranian Revolution

By the late 1970s, anger over the Shah’s authoritarian rule, pro-Western alignment, and perceived corruption exploded into revolution. In 1979, Ruhollah Khomeini returned from exile and established the Islamic Republic.

This marked a dramatic shift. Iran redefined itself as an anti-Western, anti-imperialist state. Anti-American rhetoric became central to the new regime’s identity.

The U.S. Hostage Crisis and Sanctions

In November 1979, Iranian students stormed the U.S. Embassy in Tehran and held American diplomats hostage for over a year. The United States responded with sweeping sanctions — banning trade, including Iranian oil.

Those sanctions became a permanent feature of U.S.-Iran relations.

The Iran-Iraq War

In 1980, Iraq invaded Iran, triggering an eight-year war that killed over half a million people. Although officially neutral, the U.S. provided support to Iraq in various forms.

For Iran’s leadership, this reinforced the belief that America sought its destruction.

The Rise of the “Axis of Resistance”

Over the decades, Iran built a regional network of armed allies — including Hamas, Hezbollah, and the Houthis — often described as the “Axis of Resistance.”

This strategy allowed Iran to confront enemies such as Israel and the United States indirectly, through proxy groups rather than direct confrontation.

The goal: expand influence and keep battles away from Iranian soil.

The Nuclear Flashpoint

In 2015, Iran signed a nuclear agreement limiting uranium enrichment in exchange for sanctions relief. However, in 2018, U.S. President Donald Trump withdrew from the deal and reimposed sanctions.

Economic pressure intensified. Iran gradually reduced its compliance with nuclear limits.

By 2025–2026, Western intelligence agencies assessed that Iran had enriched uranium to levels that could allow weaponisation within days — though Tehran maintained its program was civilian.

The 12-Day War and Escalation

In June 2025, Iran breached key nuclear obligations, leading to a 12-day war with Israel. The U.S. became directly involved, striking Iranian nuclear facilities.

Previous operations — including targeted strikes in 2025 — failed to stop Iran’s enrichment program. Tensions escalated further after Hamas’s October 2023 attack on Israel, which Iran publicly supported.

The region moved closer to open war.

Operation Epic Fury / Roaring Lion (February 28, 2026)

On February 28, 2026, the U.S. and Israel launched a major coordinated campaign — reportedly called Operation Epic Fury or Roaring Lion.

The strikes targeted:

Nuclear facilities

Missile infrastructure

Senior leadership in Tehran

President Trump publicly called for regime change, urging Iranians to overthrow their government and declaring, “The hour of your freedom is at hand.”

This marked a clear shift from containment to direct confrontation.

Iran’s Retaliation

Iran responded with ballistic missiles and drones targeting:

Israel

U.S. bases in Bahrain

Abu Dhabi

Qatar

Airspace closures and regional disruptions followed.

There are growing concerns that Iran could close the Strait of Hormuz — the narrow passageway through which roughly 20% of global oil flows.

Even limited disruption sends global energy prices soaring.

Iran’s Weakened but Dangerous Position

Unlike previous decades, Iran enters this confrontation more isolated. Many elements of its regional “Axis of Resistance” have been weakened or dismantled.

At the same time, U.S. military presence in West Asia is at one of its highest levels in years.

This created what some analysts describe as a “window of opportunity” for strikes — before Iran could further advance its nuclear capabilities.

Yet desperation can also be dangerous.

Protests and Internal Pressure

Renewed sanctions have devastated Iran’s economy. Inflation has soared. Protests erupted in late 2025 over rising prices and political frustrations.

Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei blamed U.S. pressure for the unrest, while Washington sees internal dissatisfaction as leverage.

This raises a critical question:

Is the goal to destroy Iran’s nuclear program — or to topple its regime entirely?

What Happens Next?

Several dangerous scenarios loom:

Closure of the Strait of Hormuz

Wider regional war

Direct confrontation between global powers

Prolonged war of attrition

Iran’s strategy appears focused on survival and endurance. The U.S. position increasingly sounds like regime change.

History shows such confrontations rarely resolve quickly.

The Bigger Picture

This war is not only about nuclear enrichment.

It is about:

Oil and energy control

Regional dominance

The legacy of 1953

The fallout of 1979

Proxy warfare

Sanctions as economic warfare

Competing world orders

More than four decades after the revolution, the relationship between Washington and Tehran remains defined by mistrust, intervention, and escalation cycles.

What began with oil has evolved into one of the most dangerous geopolitical rivalries of the modern era.

And now, it has turned into open war.

The world is watching — and the consequences will be global.