For the last fifty years, Iran and the US have been fighting over the issue of Iran’s
nuclear capability.
Tension over sanctions and broken agreements have fueled this diplomatic deadlock.
Here’s a timeline to explain the history of this back and forth.
July 01, 1968 Iran signs the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty
with 50 other countries, promising to never develop nuclear weapons.
1987-1989 Despite this, Iran obtains secret nuclear
technology from Pakistan’s head nuclear weapons engineer sometime between 1987 and
1989 July 1996
Years later, Iran is caught trying to build a nuclear weapon.
In response, US President Bill Clinton imposes the first of many sanctions against Iran.
. Feb 2000
In an attempt to slow Iran’s nuclear progress, the CIA secretly gives them flawed nuclear
blueprints.
The plan backfires when Iran discovers the flaws and uses the plans to their advantage.
October 22, 2003 Amidst fears of being invaded, Iran allows
international inspections of some nuclear sites.
November 7, 2004 In November 2004, Iran’s nuclear negotiator,
Hassan Rouhani, signs the Paris Agreement to stop enriching uranium temporarily.
August 03, 2005 Less than a year later, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad
is elected president.
He restarts Iran's nuclear program.
Summer 2010 In the summer of 2010, a joint effort between
the US and Israel creates a computer virus that takes down nearly a fifth of Iran's nuclear
technologies.
April 9, 2013 Despite sanctions tanking the Iranian currency,
Ahmadinejad says they will expand uranium production, and nuclear weapon proliferation.
June 15, 2013 On June 15th, 2013, Iran elects their US-friendly
nuclear negotiator, Hassan Rouhani, as president.
He slows down efforts at enriching uranium.
September 27, 2013 Three months later, in the first direct contact
between US and Iran since 1979, Obama speaks personally with President Rouhani.
January 2014 In exchange for 7 billion in sanctions relief,
Iran agrees to temporarily halt their nuclear program in the Geneva Accord.
March 3rd, 2015 After over a year of negotiation extensions,
Iran rejects US plan to freeze all nuclear activity for ten years.
Although Iran has repeatedly said they have no interest in pursuing a nuclear weapon,
the US, Israel, and allied European countries don’t seem to be willing to trust them.
Negotiations continue, but based on this history, it’s likely that Iran continues to pursue
its nuclear program.
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Is there more to this story?
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If you want a better look at how powerful Iran is overall, take a look at
our full video here.