Iran since 1979: A timeline of crises

"From a hostage crisis, a years-long war, and a nuclear dispute, Iran's struggles remain pivotal to its identity. The protests in Iran are grabbing headlines, with the government and the opposition accusing each other of escalating violence. The government also says that foreign interference is behind the protests. It is the latest round of demonstrations against Iran's governing system since the 1979 revolution that toppled the shah and ushered in an Islamic republic."

"November: The United States imposes its first sanctions on Iran, justified by the seizure of American hostages held at the US Embassy in Tehran. The US had supported the the overthrown shah, or monarch, Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, and, earlier, helped depose the democratically elected prime minister, Mohammad Mosaddegh, in a 1953 coup, also supported by US and UK intelligence agencies."

"September: Iraq invades Iran. Estimates put the war's death toll at approximately 500,000, with Iran suffering the heavier losses. The war was defined by large-scale trenches, machineguns and bayonet uses, similar to World War I. However, Iraq also used chemical weapons against Iranians and Iraqi Kurds. January: All remaining US hostages are released, ending the Iranian hostage crisis. June: A bombing at the Islamic Republican Party headquarters in Tehran kills dozens of senior officials, including the head of the judiciary, Mohammad Beheshti."

Iran underwent a 1979 revolution that toppled the shah and led to the establishment of an Islamic republic after Ayatollah Khomeini returned from exile and a national referendum. The seizure of US Embassy hostages prompted early American sanctions and left a legacy tied to earlier U.S. involvement, including support for the shah and the 1953 coup against Prime Minister Mosaddegh. Iran fought a devastating war after Iraq's invasion, suffering heavy casualties and chemical weapons attacks. Political violence included high-profile assassinations and bombings. The country has faced recurring mass protests, nuclear tensions, regional interventions, earthquakes, and prolonged sanctions that shaped national identity.

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