In the early weeks of President Donald Trump’s second term, he turned his attention to the threats posed by the Islamic Republic of Iran. On February 4, President Trump signed a memorandum to reimpose “maximum pressure” on Iran to “end its nuclear threat, curtail its ballistic missile program, and stop its support for proxy groups.” The memorandum directed U.S. officials to impose additional economic sanctions and redouble efforts to counter threats to American citizens and companies. But President Trump also expressed a preference for diplomacy. “I’m going to sign it, but hopefully we’re not going to have to use it very much,” he said in the Oval Office. “We will see whether or not we can arrange or work out a deal with Iran.”
In separate remarks alongside Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who was visiting Washington that day, President Trump elaborated on his hope to avoid a “catastrophic” situation, a reference to the potential for war. He had campaigned on a pledge to end “forever wars” abroad. “I would love to be able to make a great deal, a deal where you can get on with your lives, and you'll do wonderfully,” President Trump said of Iranians. “You'll do wonderfully. Incredible people, industrious, beautiful, just an unbelievable group of people in Iran.”
President Trump initially imposed a “maximum pressure” campaign against Iran during his first term (2017-2021). In May 2018, he announced the U.S. withdrawal from the 2015 nuclear deal, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA). The agreement – brokered with the Obama administration and the governments of Britain, China, France, Germany, and Russia – had restricted Iran’s nuclear activities in exchange for sanctions relief. President Trump then reimposed sanctions to pressure Tehran into negotiating a new agreement that would address its nuclear program in addition to its ballistic missile program, support for extremist groups, and threats against its neighbors and U.S. allies. By the end of President Trump’s first term in January 2021, the United States had sanctioned more than 1,500 individuals and entities, which took a significant toll on Iran’s economy.
Iran, however, responded with “maximum resistance,” which included increasingly brazen breaches of the JCPOA. Tensions mounted and talks on a new deal never materialized. The Biden administration (2021-2025) attempted to revive the JCPOA through indirect talks with Iran launched in April 2021. But diplomacy deadlocked after 17 months.
In 2025, days after President Trump expressed his interest in a new deal, Iran’s supreme leader voiced skepticism about engaging with Washington again. Negotiations with the United States “are not intelligent, wise or honorable,” Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said on February 7. He recalled that, in 2018, President Trump had unilaterally withdrawn from the JCPOA. “We negotiated, we gave concessions, we compromised— but we did not achieve the results we aimed for. And despite all its flaws, the other side ultimately violated and destroyed the agreement.”
President Trump, however, continued to pursue talks. On March 7, he revealed that he had sent a letter to Khamenei reiterating his interest in a nuclear deal. In the message, conveyed via the United Arab Emirates, President Trump reportedly gave Iran two months to conclude a deal. On April 7, President Trump announced that the United States was already engaged in direct talks with Iran. He tapped Special Envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff, a longtime friend and a New York real estate developer, to head the U.S. delegation. Ahead of the first round of talks, Witkoff expressed openness to compromise and said that Washington’s redline was weaponization of Iran’s nuclear program.
Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, a career diplomat and the chief nuclear negotiator for the JCPOA talks, led Iran’s team. Omani Foreign Minister Badr al Busaidi mediated. Oman has had a long history of leading mediation efforts and providing the United States with a back channel to Iran. The talks began on April 12, even as U.S. forces were engaged in a military campaign against the Houthis, a Yemeni group that the Trump administration designated as a foreign terrorist organization in early 2025. The Houthis, supported by Iran, had attacked Israel and disrupted shipping through the Red Sea after the Hamas assault on Israel on Oct. 7, 2023. The following is a timeline of U.S.-Iran talks and other developments, including Israel’s 12-day war with Iran, that have impacted diplomacy.
Round 1 (April 12, 2025): U.S. and Iranian negotiators held indirect talks for two and a half hours in Muscat, Oman. Foreign Minister al Busaidi conveyed written and oral messages to the delegations seated in two separate rooms. Special Envoy Witkoff and Foreign Minister Araghchi briefly exchanged greetings and shook hands while leaving the venue. Both sides described the exchange as constructive. The engagement “took place in a friendly atmosphere conducive to bridging viewpoints and ultimately achieving regional and global peace, security and stability,” al Busaidi said on X.
April 14-15: Witkoff told Fox News that Iran would need to cap uranium enrichment at 3.67 percent, enough to fuel power plants and the same level stipulated in the 2015 nuclear deal. A day later, however, he said that Iran needed to stop enriching uranium.
“A deal with Iran will only be completed if it is a Trump deal. Any final arrangement must set a framework for peace, stability, and prosperity in the Middle East -- meaning that Iran must stop and eliminate its nuclear enrichment and weaponization program. It is imperative for…
— Special Envoy for Peace Missions (@SEPeaceMissions) April 15, 2025
Round 2 (April 19, 2025): U.S. and Iranian negotiators held indirect talks mediated by Oman’s foreign minister in Rome. After four hours of exchanges, the parties “agreed to enter into the next phase of their discussions that aim to seal a fair, enduring and binding deal which will ensure Iran [will be] completely free of nuclear weapons and sanctions, and maintaining its ability to develop peaceful nuclear energy,” announced Omani Foreign Minister al Busaidi. Iranian Foreign Minister Araghchi said that the two sides reached a “better understanding about a series of principles and goals.” He added that technical talks at the expert level were slated for April 24. They, however, were postponed to April 26, the same day as the high-level talks.
Round 3 (April 26, 2025): U.S. and Iranian delegations held four hours of direct and indirect talks in Muscat. Both sides acknowledged progress. The talks “were positive and productive,” a U.S. official said in a press statement. Foreign Minister Araghchi said that the negotiations were “much more serious” and detailed. “We have moved somewhat away from broader, general discussions — though it is not the case that all disagreements have been resolved. Differences still exist both on major issues and on the details.” The two sides agreed to reconvene on May 3 in Rome.
April 28, 2025: French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot warned that France would quickly trigger the reimposition of U.N. sanctions, also known as “snapback,” on Iran if nuclear talks fail. “It goes without saying that when the Iranian nuclear deal expires in a few weeks, if European security interests are not guaranteed, we will not hesitate for a single second to reapply all the sanctions that were lifted 10 years ago,” Barrot told the U.N. Security Council. All the current parties to the JCPOA can invoke the snapback mechanism but only before the deal expires in October 2025.
April 30, 2025: Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth warned Iran to stop providing weapons to the Houthis in Yemen and implied that that Washington was prepared to use military force.
Message to IRAN:
We see your LETHAL support to The Houthis. We know exactly what you are doing.
You know very well what the U.S. Military is capable of — and you were warned. You will pay the CONSEQUENCE at the time and place of our choosing.— Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth (@SecDef) May 1, 2025
May 1, 2025: In a post on Truth Social, President Trump warned that any country or person who buys oil or petrochemicals from Iran would face secondary U.S. sanctions. “They will not be allowed to do business with the United States of America in any way, shape, or form.” The statement was widely seen as implicating China, which buys some 90 percent of Iran’s oil. Tensions between the two global powers were rising over a trade dispute.
On the same day, Foreign Minister Araghchi announced the postponement of the next round of nuclear talks due to unspecified “logistical and technical reasons.” Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei criticized the U.S. posture. “The responsibility for the consequences and destructive effects of the contradictory behavior and provocative statements of American officials regarding Iran will lie with the American side.”
May 2, 2025: Secretary of State Marco Rubio told Fox News that Iran had to “walk away” from uranium enrichment, building long-range missiles, and supporting proxy organizations. He said that Iran should import enriched uranium for producing nuclear power rather than enriching at home. In a post on X, Foreign Minister Araghchi argued that Iran had the right to enrich uranium under the Nonproliferation Treaty. “What I will say is that repeating falsehoods will not change basic facts. As a founding signatory to the NPT, Iran has every right to possess the full nuclear fuel cycle.”
May 6, 2025: President Trump announced a ceasefire with the Houthis. “They've announced to us at least that they don't want to fight anymore,” he said at the White House during the visit of Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney. The Foreign Ministry of Oman said it had mediated contact between the United States and the Houthis. “In the future, neither side will target the other, including American vessels, in the Red Sea and Bab al-Mandab Strait, ensuring freedom of navigation and the smooth flow of international commercial shipping,” a spokesman said.
May 7, 2025: Vice President J.D. Vance reiterated the Trump administration’s interest in a deal that would benefit both the United States and Iran. A nuclear agreement “would integrate Iran into the global economy,” he told the Munich Leaders Conference in Washington. “That would be really good for the Iranian people but would result in the complete cessation of any chance they could get a nuclear weapon.”
May 8, 2025: Special Envoy Witkoff told Breitbart that Iran’s uranium enrichment facilities have to be “dismantled” and that all fuel needed to be downblended and sent abroad. “An enrichment program can never exist in the state of Iran ever again. That’s our red line.” Witkoff also warned that Washington would “take a different route” if the next round of talks were not productive.
Round 4 (May 11, 2025): The U.S. and Iranian delegations met for three hours talks in Muscat. A U.S. official said the talks were both direct and indirect, but Iran claimed that the engagement was entirely indirect. Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Baghaei said the talks were “difficult but useful.” A U.S. official said that technical elements were on the agenda for the next round of talks.
May 12, 2025: The United States sanctioned three Iranian officials and one company for involvement in nuclear-related research with potential military applications.
May 13, 2025: During a visit to Saudi Arabia, President Trump labeled Iran “the most destructive force” in the region and vowed to never allow to produce nuclear weapons. But he also offered a path towards peace. “I want to make a deal with Iran,” President Trump said. “But if Iran’s leadership rejects this olive branch..., we will have no choice but to inflict massive maximum pressure.”
Round 5 (May 23, 2025): U.S. and Iranian held more than two hours of direct and indirect talks mediated by Omani diplomats in Rome. A senior U.S. official said that the negotiations were “constructive.” Foreign Minister Araghchi told state television that Oman had made several proposals that would be reviewed in Tehran and Washington. “We have just completed one of the most professional rounds of talks,” he said. “The fact that we are now on a reasonable path, in my view, is itself a sign of progress.”
June 12, 2025: The 35-nation Board of Governors of the U.N. nuclear watchdog declared that Iran was in non-compliance with its non-proliferation obligations. The United States, Britain, France, and Germany submitted the resolution. The vote was 19 in favor, 11 abstentions with three countries against – China, Russia and Burkina Faso. Rafael Grossi, the director general of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) had warned that the agency would not be able to provide assurance that Iran’s nuclear program is exclusively peaceful. Since 2019, Tehran has failed to provide credible explanations for the presence of uranium traces at declared sites. Iran has also curtailed access to its declared facilities.
In response, Iran announced that it would open a new uranium enrichment facility in “a secure location” and replace first-generation centrifuges at the Fordo site with advanced sixth-generation machines, which can enrich uranium much more efficiently.
A second resolution would be needed to send the issue to the U.N. Security Council for action. The last time the IAEA board found Iran to be in breach of its obligations was in 2005. The Security Council subsequently imposed sanctions on the Islamic Republic.
June 13-24, 2025: Israel launched surprise strikes on nuclear and military facilities across Iran. Israel primarily used fighter jets and drones, but commandos and Mossad operatives reportedly conducted covert operations on the ground as well. In the opening hours of Operation Rising Lion, Israel killed top military leaders and crippled Iran’s air defenses. Nuclear talks between Iran and the United States scheduled for June 15 in Oman were canceled. Israel targeted military infrastructure linked to Iran’s drone and missile programs and killed nuclear scientists. It eventually expanded its targets to include entities associated with domestic repression, including the headquarters of the Basij paramilitary, infamous Evin Prison, and the internal security headquarters of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).
Over the course of conflict, Israel flew 1,270 sorties over Iran and claimed to have set its nuclear program back by years. Iran reported that 935 people were killed but did not specify how many were civilians. Iran responded by launching some 550 ballistic missiles and 1,000 drones at Israel. Some 90 percent of the missiles were intercepted along with 99 percent of the drones. Thirty-one of the missiles hit populated areas. Israeli fatalities totaled 27 civilians and one member of the military.
On June 21, U.S. forces launched strikes on three Iranian nuclear facilities in an operation dubbed “Midnight Hammer.” Seven B-2 stealth bombers dropped a total of 14 “bunker-buster” bombs on Natanz and Fordo, a facility buried deep under a mountain. A U.S. submarine in the region launched more than two dozen Tomahawk cruise missiles at Isfahan.
In an address to the nation, President Trump said the operation was a “spectacular military success” and that Iran’s key uranium enrichment facilities were “totally obliterated.” He also called for a swift end to the fighting between Israel and Iran. “There will be either peace, or there will be tragedy for Iran far greater than we have witnessed over the last eight days.”
On June 23, Iran launched 14 ballistic missiles – one for every bomb the U.S. dropped on its nuclear facilities – at Al Udeid Air Base, which houses 5,000 to 10,000 U.S. troops and serves as the regional headquarters for U.S. Central Command, in Qatar. President Trump said that Iran had given the United States enough notice to evacuate the base. U.S. and Qatari forces intercepted 13 of the missiles and allowed one to land in an uninhabited area. The attack appeared to be choregraphed to allow for de-escalation. Meanwhile, the IRGC described the attack as “devastating and powerful.”
Related: What’s at Stake for China in the Iran War?
In the evening, Washington D.C. time, President Trump announced that a ceasefire between Israel and Iran would start after 12 hours. “This is a War that could have gone on for years, and destroyed the entire Middle East, but it didn’t, and never will!” he wrote on Truth Social. Israel had reportedly agreed to an American proposal, and Qatar helped broker the truce by reaching out to Iran.
June 25, 2025: On the sidelines of a NATO summit in the Netherlands, Secretary of State Rubio told POLITICO that the United States could negotiate with Iran if it only wanted a civil nuclear program. “If what they want is a nuclear weapon, that’s not going to happen.”
Later that day, President Trump said U.S. officials were planning to meet with Iranian diplomats the following week. “We may sign an agreement. I don't know. To me, I don't think it's that necessary,” he told reporters at the end of the NATO summit. “I could get a statement that they’re not going to go nuclear. We’re probably going to ask for that. But, they’re not going to be doing it.”
RELATED: With Cease-fire Holding, Can Israel and Iran Move Toward De-escalation?
June 26, 2025: In a defiant televised message, Supreme Leader Khamenei declared victory over Israel and the United States. He also claimed that the U.S. strikes on three Iranian nuclear facilities were not very effective. “They failed to achieve their intended goal, and they exaggerate things to cover up and conceal the truth.” In contrast, Khamenei argued that the Iranian strike on Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar – which did not result in any casualties – was a “heavy slap” to the face of the United Stats.
June 27, 2025: In a post on Truth Social, President Trump accused Supreme Leader Khamenei of lying by declaring victory over Israel and the United States. He also said that he saved Khamenei from being killed by Israeli or U.S. forces. President Trump said that he had been working on potential sanctions relief for Iran before Khamenei’s defiant televised statement. “But no, instead I get hit with a statement of anger, hatred, and disgust, and immediately dropped all work on sanction relief, and more.”
June 27, 2025: In response to President Trump, Foreign Minister Araghchi warned that Iranians “do not take kindly to threats and insults.” On X, he called on President Trump to “put aside the disrespectful and unacceptable tone” towards Supreme Leader Khamenei.
June 30, 2025: Foreign Minister Araghchi doubted that negotiations with the United States would restart quickly. “In order for us to decide to reengage, we will have to first ensure that America will not revert back to targeting us in a military attack during the negotiations,” he told CBS News. But he also said that the “doors of diplomacy will never slam shut.”
July 1, 2025: In a joint statement, the foreign ministers from the G7 countries urged Iran to “refrain from reconstituting its unjustified enrichment activities” and “called for the resumption of negotiations, resulting in a comprehensive, verifiable and durable agreement that addresses Iran’s nuclear program.” The ministers also called on Iran to resume full cooperation with the IAEA. The G7 includes Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan and the United States.
July 2, 2025: Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian ordered the suspension of Iran’s cooperation with the IAEA. “This suspension will remain in effect until certain conditions are met, including the guaranteed security of nuclear facilities and scientists.” Parliament had passed the bill, which was then approved by the powerful Guardian Council. It did not include specific details about the conditions or timing for the suspension.
July 3, 2025: Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Majid Takht-Ravanchi told NBC News that Iran was done responding to the U.S. airstrikes and was still open to diplomacy. “We are for dialogue,” but the United States needs “to convince us that they are not going to use military force while we are negotiating.” Takht-Ravanchi said that Iran would not halt uranium enrichment but was “ready to engage with others to talk about the scope, the level, the capacity of our enrichment program.”
July 6: Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov condemned the Israeli and U.S. attacks on Iran in a meeting with his Iranian counterpart on the sidelines of the BRICS summit in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Lavrov reiterated Moscow’s “readiness to offer its assistance in finding mutually acceptable solutions, including the corresponding initiatives put forward earlier by the Russian president,” according to a foreign ministry readout of the meeting. Lavrov was referring to President Vladimir Putin’s offer to mediate between Israel and Iran.
Foreign Minister @araghchi met his Russian counterpart, Sergei Lavrov, on the sidelines of the 17th BRICS Summit in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. pic.twitter.com/gxN6cM3LwL
— IRNA News Agency (@IrnaEnglish) July 6, 2025
BRICS is an economic bloc that includes Brazil, Russia, Indian, China, South Africa, and six other emerging economies, including Iran. In a joint statement, the group decried attacks against Iran's “civilian infrastructure and peaceful nuclear facilities” a "violation of international law.”
Garrett Nada, the managing editor of The Iran Primer, assembled this chronology.