US-Iran relations since 1979: timeline
Tuesday, July 29, 2008
November 1979
Iranian students seize 63 hostages at the US embassy in Tehran. Washington severs diplomatic ties and imposes sanctions against Iran.
April 1980
President Jimmy Carter orders a secret rescue mission, but the attempt ends in disaster in the Iranian desert.
January 1981
The remaining 52 US hostages are freed after 444 days, but Iran prolongs Carter's humiliation by releasing them hours after he leaves office.
1985-1986
The US sends arms to Iran, allegedly for Iranian help to win the freedom of US hostages in Lebanon.
The profits are sent to help the Contra rebels in Nicaragua, circumventing US law. The Iran-Contra affair is Ronald Reagan's biggest political crisis.
July 3 1988
The US cruiser Vincennes shoots down an Iranian Airbus over the Gulf by mistake, killing all 290 people on board.
1995
President Bill Clinton imposes oil and trade sanctions on Iran for alleged sponsorship of "terrorism", a charge Tehran rejects.
1998
Iran's president, Muhammad Khatami, calls for a "dialogue with the American people" in a US TV interview.
March 2000
The US secretary of state, Madeleine Albright, calls for a new start in US-Iranian relations and announces the lifting of sanctions on Iranian exports ranging from carpets to food products.
September 2000
Albright meets the Iranian foreign minister, Kamal Kharrazi, at the UN in New York - the first such talks since diplomatic ties were severed in 1979.
January 29 2002
President George Bush describes Iran, Iraq and North Korea as an "axis of evil" in his state of the union speech.
December 2003
The US sends humanitarian aid to Iran after an earthquake kills up to 50,000 people in city of Bam, but Bush denies any thaw in relations.
May 2006
President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad sends an 18-page letter to Bush, in what is considered an overture for better US-Iran relations.
December 2006
The UN security council unanimously passes a resolution imposing sanctions on Iran over its nuclear enrichment.
February 2007
US officials say they have proof that Iran is supplying weapons to kill American soldiers in Iraq.
May 2007
The US ambassador to Iraq, Ryan Crocker, and his Iranian counterpart, Hassan Kazemi Qomi, hold the first high-level talks between the two countries in almost 30 years.
September 2007
New York City rejects a request from Ahmadinejad to visit the site of the September 11 attacks.
December 2007
A US intelligence assessment concludes that Iran stopped its nuclear weapons programme in 2003.
However, the National Intelligence Estimate assessment said Tehran was continuing to enrich uranium.
October 2007
The US steps up its sanctions on Iran, targeting the finances of Iran's Islamic Revolution Guards Corps and three state-owned banks.
July 2008
The US says it will send a senior diplomat to nuclear talks with Iran in a shift of policy towards engagement with Tehran
Iranian students seize 63 hostages at the US embassy in Tehran. Washington severs diplomatic ties and imposes sanctions against Iran.
April 1980
President Jimmy Carter orders a secret rescue mission, but the attempt ends in disaster in the Iranian desert.
January 1981
The remaining 52 US hostages are freed after 444 days, but Iran prolongs Carter's humiliation by releasing them hours after he leaves office.
1985-1986
The US sends arms to Iran, allegedly for Iranian help to win the freedom of US hostages in Lebanon.
The profits are sent to help the Contra rebels in Nicaragua, circumventing US law. The Iran-Contra affair is Ronald Reagan's biggest political crisis.
July 3 1988
The US cruiser Vincennes shoots down an Iranian Airbus over the Gulf by mistake, killing all 290 people on board.
1995
President Bill Clinton imposes oil and trade sanctions on Iran for alleged sponsorship of "terrorism", a charge Tehran rejects.
1998
Iran's president, Muhammad Khatami, calls for a "dialogue with the American people" in a US TV interview.
March 2000
The US secretary of state, Madeleine Albright, calls for a new start in US-Iranian relations and announces the lifting of sanctions on Iranian exports ranging from carpets to food products.
September 2000
Albright meets the Iranian foreign minister, Kamal Kharrazi, at the UN in New York - the first such talks since diplomatic ties were severed in 1979.
January 29 2002
President George Bush describes Iran, Iraq and North Korea as an "axis of evil" in his state of the union speech.
December 2003
The US sends humanitarian aid to Iran after an earthquake kills up to 50,000 people in city of Bam, but Bush denies any thaw in relations.
May 2006
President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad sends an 18-page letter to Bush, in what is considered an overture for better US-Iran relations.
December 2006
The UN security council unanimously passes a resolution imposing sanctions on Iran over its nuclear enrichment.
February 2007
US officials say they have proof that Iran is supplying weapons to kill American soldiers in Iraq.
May 2007
The US ambassador to Iraq, Ryan Crocker, and his Iranian counterpart, Hassan Kazemi Qomi, hold the first high-level talks between the two countries in almost 30 years.
September 2007
New York City rejects a request from Ahmadinejad to visit the site of the September 11 attacks.
December 2007
A US intelligence assessment concludes that Iran stopped its nuclear weapons programme in 2003.
However, the National Intelligence Estimate assessment said Tehran was continuing to enrich uranium.
October 2007
The US steps up its sanctions on Iran, targeting the finances of Iran's Islamic Revolution Guards Corps and three state-owned banks.
July 2008
The US says it will send a senior diplomat to nuclear talks with Iran in a shift of policy towards engagement with Tehran
posted by Goftaniha @ 7:06 PM,
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IRAN
The influence of Iran's theocratic Shiite regime has risen sharply around the Middle East in recent years, driven by surging oil revenues and the replacement of its traditional rival, the Sunni-dominated government of Saddam Hussein, by an Iraqi state led by a coalition of Shiite parties who are all friendly with Tehran.Tensions between Iran and the West, particularly the United States, have risen sharply, too, particularly since Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, a hard-liner, became president in 2005, ousting a government that had sought more normal relations with Washington.
Strains between the two capitals go back many decades, from Washington's participation in the 1953 coup that installed Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, to the seizure of American diplomats in 1979 after the Shah fell to an Islamic revolution.
The central point of contention between Iran and the West now is over Tehran's nuclear program, which it insists is for peaceful purposes, but which the United States believes is meant to produce nuclear weapons.
Washington has pressed the United Nations Security Council to punish Iran for pushing ahead with its nuclear program. In 2006 the Council ordered Tehran to suspend enriching uranium, but international inspectors reported in May 2007 that since then Iran has mastered a crucial process that would let Iran produce fuel for a nuclear weapon.
Washington has also charged that Iran is working to destabilize Iraq, and has asserted that some elements of the Tehran regime may be supplying a particularly deadly form of bomb that has been used against American troops in roadside attacks. Iran has denied any involvement, and has protested against the seizure by American forces of Iranian officials in Iraq. The two sides agreed in May to direct talks, but only on issues related to Iraq and security. - Ford Burkhart, May 24, 2007
posted by Goftaniha @ 6:59 PM,
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The Author
Amir Farshad Ebrahimi . Phd
My name is Amir Farshad Ebrahimi ,I was born in Gholhak(north of Tehran), I am a freelance broadcast journalist and a blogger.I have written many articles and blog posts related to Iranian politics. I have been working with an American organization as a consultant on Iran's human rights issues and against radical fundamental groups since 2005. This blog on Iran's politics, culture, and human rights news is designed to inspire young Iranians. I hope to one day return to my homeland, Iran. I have written (Persian) can be found under: www.goftaniha.org
About This Blog
This blog is a on Iran, Political and pop culture, art, and Human Rights. Its purpose is to inspire creativity by sharing links and resources. Albert Einstein said, “The secret to creativity is knowing how to hide your sources,” but what the hell did he know anyway? The site was conceived by Farshad , like all good ideas, while goofing off at work.
Contact me
Very Very easy Send Mail To : afebrahimi[at]journalist[dot]com
Good Bye & Good luck !
