Iran and the US were once friends – what happened?
It seems strange to think in this chaotic febrile epoch we are living in, but once upon a time Iran and the United States were friends.
But the Islamic Revolution of 1979 changed that, and since then the two states have seen tensions escalate again and again.
So much so, that there’s now the real possibility of a direct confrontation between the two foes.
The killing of three American servicemen in Jordan by Iranian-backed militias is the latest episode in a bitter rivalry that’s now four decades old.
But let’s first wind back.
Supporters of Ayatollah Khomeini in Tehran during the revolution in 1979. Pic: Reuters
British and US intelligence were pivotal in helping the Iranian military overthrow Iran’s prime minister, Mohammad Mossadeq, in 1953.
This intervention, or meddling, as it was seen in the country, brought back to power the unpopular western-leaning monarchy of Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, who was heavily dependent on US support for his power.
At the heart of this support was the promise of access to the country’s natural resources, particularly oil.
But, this alliance would soon be disrupted.
In 1979 the ground starts shifting across the country with a wave of civil unrest and popular protest.
Ayatollah Khomeini speaks from a balcony in February 1979. Pic: Reuters
This uprising would see the grand ayatollah, Ruhollah Khomeini, return from years of exile – his platform and power fuelled by vehement opposition to what he considered a servile pro-western monarchy.
Taking power with an iron grip, the new Supreme Leader would transform the country into a radical Islamic theocracy.
But this takeover would not end at Iran’s borders.
At the heart of the transformation, there was a desire to spread the revolution to neighbouring countries – a project that continues to this day.
In 1985 the emerging militant group Hezbollah pledged its allegiance to Khomeini – that relationship has gone from strength to strength.
And thanks to Iran’s patronage Hezbollah is now the most powerful militant group in the world, often described as a state within a state in Lebanon.
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How does Iran influence the Middle East?
The spread of Iranian influence would grow exponentially over the next four decades, increasingly setting the country on a collision course with the United States and its allies.
The first big clash came quickly.
It arose after 52 American diplomats and citizens were taken hostage at the US embassy by radical Iranian students.
They were held for 444 days from 4 November 1979 until their release in 1981.
The US saw this as a serious breach of international law, but in Iran it was viewed as a blow against excessive US influence and meddling in the country.
It also burnished the credentials of the new regime, who opposed normalising relations with western countries – particularly America, which was labelled the Great Satan by the ayatollahs in their increasingly fiery speeches about foreign policy.
Remains of a burned-out US helicopter in the eastern desert region of Iran in 1980. Pic AP
Operation Eagle Claw – a disastrous US attempt to free the hostages – saw a helicopter crash into a transport aircraft, causing a fire that killed eight servicemen.
During this time the US had cut diplomatic ties with Iran and banned most trade – things were not looking great.
In 1980 Iraq invaded Iran – the countries had been massive rivals but were now at war. The United States lent its hefty support to Iraq led by Saddam Hussein. The fighting, which dragged on until 1988, saw huge casualties on both sides but it is estimated as many as one million Iranians died in the conflict.
Relations with the US would remain bad. The Beirut Barracks bombing, Operation Praying Mantis, the Iran-Contra Affair and sanctions were the punctuation marks for two countries ideologically opposed, that were seemingly always at, or close to conflict.
That was until 1998 when there appeared to be glimmers of hope that relations were improving. Secretary of state Madeleine Albright met with Iran’s deputy foreign minister – it was the highest level contact since the revolution but it would not last.
An Iranian woman walks past a US helicopter that crashed in Iran in 1980. Pic: Reuters
A few years later in 2002 and in a seminal speech President George Bush was labelling Iran as part of the “axis of evil” – its bedfellows Iraq and North Korea.
US officials would also claim Iran was operating a clandestine nuclear programme with the intent of building a bomb.
These were the years after 9/11.
Attempts to reach diplomatic understandings since then have mostly ended in failure.
President Barack Obama tried to use the carrot of sanctions relief to tame Iran’s nuclear program.
The agreement would eventually emerge as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).
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Iran’s President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad at the Natanz nuclear facility. Pic: Reuters
It was hoped that the deal would steer Iran away from the big bomb, or at the very least slow progress; but many Republicans viewed it with suspicion arguing that it – along with the lifting of sanctions – gave the Iranians more power to spread their pernicious influence across the region.
Enter stage Donald Trump. Exit stage deal. The one-time – but perhaps soon to be two – US president ripped up the agreement when he withdrew America from the JCPOA.
Iran and America were soon back in a spiral of escalation. President Trump would later designate the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) a terror organisation.
Perhaps, the most significant event that underlines how broken the relationship is and how far apart the two countries have become came in the form of a US drone strike on 3 January 2020.
Qassem Soleimani was assassinated. Pic: AP
Qasem Soleimani, the commander of the IRGC Quds force and one of the most powerful men in Iran – and by extension the region – was killed in the attack in Baghdad.
The American action sent shockwaves through the Middle East and Iran vowed revenge.
The regime also stated it would no longer restrict its nuclear program.
All of this forms the backdrop to current events. It is hard to see in the present climate how things can improve.
In fact, with the war raging in Gaza and Iranian-backed militias across the region taking pot shots at US forces, things look set to get even worse.
The UK is planning to recognise Palestine as a state in a major shift in policy.
The announcement – expected today – comes ahead of the United Nations (UN) General Assembly in New York next week.
While Sir Keir Starmer signalled the move in July, it was not made official before Donald Trump’s state visit to the UK, reportedly due to fears it could have dominated the meeting with the US president.
Here is what you need to know about the significance of recognising a Palestinian state.
What is the current status of Palestinian statehood?
The Palestinian Authority (PA), led by President Mahmoud Abbas, is internationally recognised as representing the Palestinian people.
The governing body exercises limited self-rule in parts of the Israeli-occupied West Bank under agreements with Israel. It issues Palestinian passports and runs the Palestinian health and education systems.
However, some trade, investment, educational and cultural exchanges are restricted by Israel and there are currently no Palestinian airports.
The landlocked West Bank can only be reached through Israel or through the Israeli-controlled border with Jordan. Israel also controls all access to the Gaza Strip.
Much of what would form a potential Palestinian state has been under Israeli military occupation for more than half a century.
A map showing Israel and the occupied Palestinian territories
Under the Montevideo Convention of 1933, there are several criteria before Palestine can be recognised as a sovereign state under international law.
The process requires the state to have:
• A permanent population;
• A defined territory;
• An effective government and international relations;
• Formal diplomatic processes including embassies, ambassadors and treaties.
The UK did not sign the 1933 convention, but in July some of Britain’s top lawyers wrote a letter to the government’s top legal adviser warning that recognising a Palestinian state could breach the convention, which they said has become part of “customary law”.
But others, including Philippe Sands KC, a professor of law at University College London, argued against this. He told The Guardian that the UN’s top court, the International Court of Justice (ICJ), has recognised that Palestinians have a right to “self-determination” – meaning a country determines its own statehood and forms its own government.
Is the move just symbolic?
The likes of China, India, Russia and many Arab states have recognised Palestinian independence for decades, but largely see it as a symbolic gesture, which has little influence on what happens on the ground.
However, in the UK’s case, recognising a Palestinian state could put the two on “equal footing” according to the Palestinian ambassador to the United Kingdom, Husam Zomlot.
This could result in strategic partnerships or lead to steps such as banning products that come from Israeli settlements in occupied Palestinian territories, Vincent Fean, a former British consul general to Jerusalem, told Reuters.
French President Emmanuel Macron, who was the first leader of a G7 country to endorse recognition, said the recognition would also come with a commitment that the PA would enact reforms, which, he says, would put it in a better position to govern a post-war Gaza.
Naima Abu Ful holds her malnourished 2-year-old child, Yazan in Gaza. Pic: AP
Why is the UK acting now?
Sir Keir Starmer said in July that the time to recognise Palestine is now, as it would have the highest impact given the hope of a two-state solution – a “secure” Israel alongside a “viable” Palestinian state – was at risk.
He said it was part of an “eight-part plan” agreed with France and Germany, but denied it represented a U-turn after pressure from Labour MPs, saying instead it was always part of the plan to recognise Palestine.
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From July: Starmer reveals plan to recognise Palestine as state
Pressure has also been mounting on Sir Keir after Israel began a major ground offensive to take Gaza City on 16 September.
Despite widespread condemnation, Israeli tanks and troops have continued to push deeper into the city in a bid to destroy Hamas and force the release of the remaining Israeli hostages.
Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper called the operation “utterly reckless and appalling”.
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Tanks roll into Gaza as ‘appalling’ Israeli offensive begins
The UK’s official declaration comes days before the annual gathering of world leaders at the UN General Assembly, where Gaza will be a major topic of discussion.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is expected to talk at the assembly, but Mr Abbas has not been granted a US visa. It is likely he will instead appear via video.
What countries do (and do not) recognise Palestine?
As of September 2025, 147 out of 193 United Nations member states recognise Palestine. This includes more than a dozen in Europe, including Spain, Ireland and Norway.
Click, zoom in or search for a country to see their stance on recognising a Palestinian state:
Recognition from countries vs the United Nations
Without a full seat at the UN, the PA only has limited ability to conduct bilateral relations. This means a delegation officially representing the State of Palestine has permanent observer status but no voting rights.
Mahmoud Abbas, president of the Palestinian Authority, at last year’s UN General Assembly. Pic AP
No matter how many individual countries recognise Palestinian independence, full UN membership requires the approval of the Security Council.
Approval requires at least nine votes in favour and no vetoes by the permanent ‘big five’ member states: UK, US, France, Russia and China.
If the Council approves the request, it goes to the General Assembly for approval, where a two-thirds majority is needed.
Palestinians gather to receive food from a charity kitchen. Pic: Reuters
A state can’t join the UN without the backing of both the Security Council and the General Assembly.
In 2011, the Security Council looked at an application for Palestine to become a permanent member for several weeks but it was unable to reach a unanimous position, so a formal vote never took place.
Most recently, on 18 September, the US vetoed a Security Council resolution that had demanded an immediate and permanent ceasefire in Gaza and the release of all hostages, saying the effort did not go far enough in condemning Hamas.
How have Palestinians and the Israelis responded?
When the UK, France and Canada announced in July they were planning to recognise Palestine as a state, the PA’s leader Mr Abbas expressed “thanks and appreciation” to all three countries.
Mr Netanyahu condemned the move, saying recognising a Palestinian state would be a “launch pad to annihilate Israel – not to live in peace beside it”.
He says Israel will never give up ultimate security control of Gaza or the West Bank, and the decision to recognise Palestine as a state “constitutes a reward for Hamas and harms efforts to achieve a ceasefire in Gaza and a framework for the release of hostages”.
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Is Israel committing genocide?
What about America?
The US, Israel’s closest ally, also remains opposed to official recognition of a Palestinian state.
During a press conference with Sir Keir in the UK on 18 September, Mr Trump told reporters he has a “disagreement” with his British counterpart over it.
In reaction to European allies recognising Palestinian independence, the US has imposed sanctions on Palestinian officials.
Starmer and Trump at a joint press conference. Pic: AP
Within the US Senate, however, a group of Democratic senators have introduced a resolution to try and urge recognition of a Palestinian state – showing some divide in America’s two main political parties.
However, the resolution is unlikely to pass the chamber, where Republicans have a 53-47 majority.
How does this all link to a two-state solution?
Simply put, a two-state solution is widely regarded as the most viable framework for enabling Palestinian independence.
It would see an independent Palestinian state established alongside the existing state of Israel – giving both peoples their own territory.
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The two-state solution explained
Earlier in September, the UN General Assembly voted overwhelmingly – 142 votes in favour – to endorse a declaration outlining the “tangible, time bound, and irreversible steps” towards a two-state solution.
The declaration condemns the October 7 attacks by Hamas and the retaliatory action by Israel against civilians and infrastructure in Gaza. Israel and the US were among 10 member states that voted against the resolution.
The Palestinians seek an independent state in the occupied West Bank, annexed East Jerusalem and Gaza, territories that have been occupied by Israel since the 1967 Six-Day War.
Mr Netanyahu and most of Israel’s political class have long been opposed to Palestinian statehood, and argue that it would reward militants after October 7.
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One of the biggest obstacles to a two-state solution would be deciding what the borders of a potential Palestinian state would be.
Many believe they should be the same ones that existed before 1967, but since then, increasing numbers of Israeli settlements have been established inside the West Bank, with around 600,000 Israelis now living there and in occupied East Jerusalem.
World
‘Better late than never’: Palestinian minister says UK recognition of state would be ‘courageous step’
Britain will be taking “a courageous step at a very difficult time” by officially recognising a Palestinian state, according to the authority’s foreign minister, who told Sky News she believes the announcement – expected in the coming days – will inspire more nations to follow suit.
The Palestinian Authority’s foreign minister, Varsen Aghabekian, told me Britain’s move was “better late than never”, and said “Britain, with its weight, can influence other countries to come forward and recognise, because that is the right thing to do”.
But she also said she is “very angry” with the White House over its “unwavering support” for Israel, and said that Israel’s refusal to pass on tax revenue was pushing Palestinian civil society to the brink of “collapse”.
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Could recognition of Palestine change the West Bank?
Aghabekian was speaking as Britain, along with France, Canada and Australia, prepares to recognise the State of Palestine officially at the United Nations.
She told me: “Britain has been supporting the existence and the flourishing of Israel for some time, but I think today Britain is looking at the matter objectively, in terms of the right of people, in terms of complying with international law, and in terms of the future of this area for both the Israelis and Palestinians.”
She rejected the idea that recognising Palestine was a reward for Hamas terrorism, saying that “non-recognition” would also be a “reward to the extremists” and said that “if we wait until Israel decides it wants to go into negotiations with the Palestinians, then it won’t happen”.
Aghabekian told me she expected Gaza to be returned to the Palestinians, but I put it to her that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was being empowered by the diplomatic support he receives from America, and in particular, US President Donald Trump.
So is she angry with the White House? “Very angry, because I expect the White House and the United States of America to align with international law, with human rights, with having no double standards.
“This unwavering support for Israel, this blind support, is not only harming the Palestinians but also Israeli society.”
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The state of Palestine is already recognised by three-quarters of the United Nations’ members. It comprises two separate territories – the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, and the Gaza Strip. Together, they are officially known as the Occupied Palestinian Territories.
The West Bank has been subject to Israeli military occupation since 1967, while Gaza has been attacked by Israel since the Hamas attacks of 7 October 2023, when nearly 1,200 Israelis were killed and around 250 people were taken hostage.
Since then, more than 65,000 people have been killed in Gaza as Israel has sought to destroy Hamas and recover its hostages. There are 48 hostages still in Gaza, with 20 believed to be alive.
She confirmed to me that Mahmoud Abbas, leader of the Palestinian Authority, which governs the West Bank, “has given guarantees in letters to various leaders around the globe that said Hamas will not be part of the governance of the Gaza Strip” and insisted there was “probably a worldwide consensus” on the topic.
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How has UK responded to Israel-Gaza conflict?
But she also insisted it was “not reasonable” to talk of completely erasing Hamas: “Hamas is an ideology, not a building that you bring down. Hamas is in people’s minds; in their heads.
“Those who support Hamas need to see a future, need to see something that is moving on the political level, need to see that there might be a state in which their children and their grandchildren might prosper.
“What people see today, whether they are Hamas supporters or not, they see darkness and they see destruction all over. They see violation of rights. They are helpless and hopeless. People need to see things are moving forward, and once that happens, there will be a shift in the mood, and they will look for a better future.”
But just as the Palestinians prepare to welcome recognition, Aghabekian said the West Bank was facing financial collapse as Israel continues to withhold hundreds of millions of dollars of tax revenue that, under a 30-year-old agreement, it collects on the Palestinian Authority’s behalf.
Israel has retained a proportion of the money since the start of the war in Gaza, but, encouraged by finance minister Bezalel Smotrich, it has recently withheld a much higher amount.
“People have not been paid, civil servants are only receiving small parts of their salaries. We can’t buy medical supplies, equipment, you name it,” said Aghabekian.
“How can a government run a country under such conditions? So yes, we are very worried.”
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