US and Iran Reach Deal to End War, Reopen Hormuz Strait
Part of composite article Iran and US Announce Deal to End War, Reopen Strait of Hormuz — But Israel Objects and Details Remain Unclear View full article →
The United States and Iran have reached an interim agreement. The deal aims to end the war between the two countries and reopen the Strait of Hormuz, a key waterway for global oil shipments.
A signing ceremony is planned for Friday in Switzerland. However, past announcements have collapsed, and the deal’s details remain disputed.
This timeline shows the long history of tensions over Iran’s nuclear program.
**Early Days**
1967 — Iran gets a research nuclear reactor from the U.S. under the “Atoms for Peace” program.
1979 — Iran’s U.S.-backed leader, the Shah, flees the country. Ayatollah Khomeini takes power in the Islamic Revolution. Students seize the U.S. Embassy in Tehran, starting a 444-day hostage crisis. Iran’s nuclear program is put on hold.
2002 — Secret nuclear facilities at Natanz are revealed.
2003 — Iran stops enriching uranium under international pressure.
2006 — Iran restarts enrichment after a hard-line president is elected.
**The Nuclear Deal**
2015 — World powers and Iran sign a deal. It limits enrichment in exchange for lifting sanctions.
2018 — U.S. President Donald Trump pulls out of the deal, calling it “the worst deal ever.”
2019 — Iran begins to break the deal. Regional attacks blamed on Tehran follow.
2020 — A U.S. drone strike kills a top Iranian general. Iran fires missiles at U.S. bases in Iraq. Iran accidentally shoots down a Ukrainian passenger plane, killing all 176 people on board.
2021 — Iran begins enriching uranium to 60%, a short step from weapons-grade levels.
**Rising Tensions and War**
2023 — Hamas attacks Israel, starting a major war. Iran supports Hamas.
2024 — Iran attacks Israel directly for the first time. Israel strikes Iran. The war widens.
**Trump Returns**
2025 — Trump takes office again. He seeks a new nuclear deal. U.S. and Iran hold talks in Oman and Rome.
2026 — Israel and the U.S. launch a war on Iran. Iran’s supreme leader is killed. A shaky ceasefire is announced.
June 15, 2026 — The U.S. and Iran reach an initial agreement to open the Strait of Hormuz and extend the ceasefire.