The US-Iran relations had been heavily influenced by Iran's nuclear program. In 2015, Iran agreed to limit its nuclear program through the Iran Nuclear Deal, or the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, between Iran and six other countries (US, UK, France, Russia, China, and Germany). However, former US President Donald Trump withdrew the US from the deal in 2018 and reimposed harsh sanctions on Iran. One major consequence of the deteriorating US-Iran relations is the US killing Iranian General Qasem Soleimani in 2020.
In July 2024, reformist Masoud Pezeshkian was elected as president of Iran, beating the hard-line, former nuclear negotiator Saeed Jalili. His predecessor, Ebrahim Raisi, also had an uncompromising stance in nuclear talks.