In the weeks of February, Iranian leaders met with United States leaders to discuss the nuclear advancements in Iran. Since then tensions have come to a turning point, leading to the United States and Israel joining forces to attack the country of Iran; targeting nuclear sites and killing essential leading figures. After United States attacks on Japan in WWII, nuclear weaponry has been considered a war crime and advancements in the technology of them have been banned to prevent the potential destruction of the entire world. Iran has since violated these restrictions and a specific agreement made in 2015 called the JCPOCA (Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action); specifically, it was discovered they had built sites for the purpose of creating nuclear weapons.

Iran has historically had a tense relationship with America after instating the Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi for the purpose of oil and protection against the Soviets, leading to a tumultuous rule for the Iranian people with an eventual revolution in 1979. Iranian forces held American embassy staff hostage following the revolution due to growing anti-American sentiment for their attempt at ‘westernizing’ Iran for the purpose of resources. Due to these decades of strife and many more incidents not listed, the U.S. was concerned at Iran acquiring nuclear power to potentially use against them.

The negotiations taking place (predating the attacks made since) were reportedly working, with Oman’s foreign minister Badr al-Busaidi stating that he saw “significant progress in the negotiation,” according to AP News. Before these negotiations, upon awareness of the program, Israel, in June of 2025 sent air strikes on the facilities in the cities of Natanz, Isfahan, and Fordow. Iran then fired back with 530 ballistic missiles, 1000 drones and 14 missiles at the U.S. airbase in Qatar, the largest U.S military installation in the Middle East.

All officials involved in the negotiations were aware of pre-existing tensions and the unwillingness of the Iranian government to end their nuclear development. Potential war loomed since after attacks in June, and beginning on the 28th of February, the United States military officially joined forces with Israel in attacks on Iran with the intention of preventing nuclear war. While preventing nuclear warfare is a good thing, many on U.S. soil wonder if this is a good idea, while many citizens fear ‘sleeper agents’ being activated: Iranian plants raised in the United States to infiltrate and attack when tensions such as these arise.

Updates are occurring everyday so stay up to date. The only attack in the U.S. so far that could possibly be related is an Iranian sympathizer who shot up a bar in Austin, Texas. While not officially linked to a planned terrorist attack orchestrated by Iran, the gunman donned a sweatshirt stating the words “Property of Allah” and a t-shirt underneath with the Iranian flag.

While the war in the Middle East has just begun, President Trump has expressed statements suggesting it may take weeks or longer, and Congress is taking action to evaluate the extent to which President Trump has taken control of military action.