The Foreign Policy

February 1978 (Author's Account)

The rise of Islamic revolutionary idealism in Iran's foreign policy after the Islamic Revolution.

1979 (Date Unknown)

Separatist activities in Iran's border regions, especially Kurdistan, with foreign support after the revolution.

1979 (Date Unknown)

The separatist crisis in Kurdistan and its management by the interim government with a peaceful approach.

June 19, 1979

The Assembly of Experts began drafting and approving the Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Iran.

November 3, 1979

Meeting of Mehdi Bazargan and Ebrahim Yazdi with Brzezinski (Carter's National Security Advisor) in Algeria, marking the peak of the interim government's 'Westward Look' policy.

1979 - U.S. Embassy Seizure

The U.S. Embassy in Tehran was seized by 'Students of the Imam's Line', marking the start of the hostage crisis. This event became known as the 'Second Revolution'.

1979 - Resignation of Interim Government

The interim government resigned one day after the U.S. Embassy seizure.

1979 - Abolition of 1921 Treaty

The Revolutionary Council approved the abolition of the 1921 Iran-Soviet Treaty.

1979 - Iran Halts Oil Exports to U.S.

Iran stopped its oil exports to the United States.

1979 - Executive Order 12170 Issued

President Carter issued Executive Order 12170, freezing all assets and interests of the Iranian government, affiliated institutions, and the Central Bank of Iran in the U.S.

November 14, 1979

Iran closed its air and sea borders to American planes and ships.

December 11 and 12, 1979

The new constitution of the Islamic Republic of Iran was approved in a referendum.

January 1979 (as per Sadegh Ghotbzadeh)

Sadegh Ghotbzadeh, then Iran's Foreign Minister, called the Soviet military intervention in Afghanistan a "hostile act" against "all Muslims worldwide."

February 1980

Iran severed its relations with Jordan and Morocco due to their anti-Iran policies and support for Iraq.

February 1980

The then Prime Minister, Mohammad Ali Rajai, attended the Non-Aligned Movement conference in India.

March 1980

The Islamic Republic of Iran withdrew from the CENTO pact.

March 26, 1980

Abolhassan Banisadr was elected as the first President of Iran.

April 10, 1980

President Carter ordered the complete severance of diplomatic relations with Iran.

September 1980

The first UN Security Council statement on Iraq's invasion of Iran was issued.

September 17, 1980

Saddam Hussein, President of Iraq, unilaterally annulled the 1975 Algiers Agreement.

September 22, 1980

The official start of the Ba'athist Iraq regime's invasion of Iran with the bombing of Iranian airports, marking the beginning of the 'Sacred Defense' era.

November 2, 1980

The Iranian parliament passed a resolution approving four conditions for resolving the hostage crisis.

January 20, 1980 (as per author)

This date contradicts earlier years and seems to be a typographical error. Based on the text, it likely means January 1981: Iran and the USA agreed on a statement prepared by Algeria and signed it separately.

January 1981

Ramadan, Iraq's Deputy Prime Minister, declared that the main goal of the war was to overthrow the Islamic Republic of Iran.

July 1, 1981

Abolhassan Banisadr was removed from the presidency.

August 8, 1981

Mohammad Ali Rajai became the president.

1981 - Operation Fath ol-Mobin

The Islamic Republic of Iran successfully conducted Operation Fath ol-Mobin.

1981 - Operation Beit ol-Moqaddas

The Islamic Republic of Iran successfully conducted Operation Beit ol-Moqaddas.

1982 - Liberation of Khorramshahr

Operation Beit ol-Moqaddas led to the liberation of Khorramshahr.

1982 - Non-Aligned Movement Meeting

The Non-Aligned Movement decided to hold its seventh foreign ministers' meeting in Baghdad (later moved to Havana).

1983 - Arrest of Tudeh Party Leaders

Iran arrested Tudeh Party leaders and expelled 18 Soviet diplomats.

1983

The Islamic Republic of Iran adopted an 'open doors' policy to develop relations with Third World countries.

1984

Diplomatic relations between the United States and Iraq were established.

November 2, 1985

Imam Khomeini emphasized the need to strengthen foreign relations, and Ayatollah Khamenei designed and announced the 'open doors' policy.

December 1986

The President of Iran emphasized the need to establish relations with African countries.

July 20, 1987

UN Security Council Resolution 598 was adopted, calling for an immediate ceasefire and return to international borders.

August 11, 1987

Iran's Foreign Minister outlined Iran's position on Resolution 598 in a letter to the UN Secretary-General.

1987

Massacre of Iranian pilgrims in Mecca.

April 1988

The United States destroyed the Iranian Navy in the Persian Gulf.

May 1988

Saudi Arabia cut diplomatic ties with Iran.

July 1988

Imam Khomeini accepted UN Security Council Resolution 598.

September 1988

Hashemi Rafsanjani adopted a conciliatory stance on Iran-GCC relations.

August 26, 1989

The Iranian people approved the revised 1979 Constitution in a referendum (beginning of the Reconstruction Era and the "Second Republic").

July 1989

Hashemi Rafsanjani became President (beginning of the Reconstruction Era).

September 1989

Hashemi Rafsanjani emphasized the need to expand relations with the Gulf Cooperation Council countries.

December 18, 1989

The British Foreign Secretary expressed the UK's desire to improve relations with Iran for the second time.

April 13, 1989

The Director-General of the French Foreign Ministry arrived in Tehran at the head of a delegation for talks with Iranian officials.

August 15, 1990

Saddam Hussein accepted the 1975 Algiers Agreement in a letter to the President of Iran.

August 1990

Iraq's invasion and occupation of Kuwait (beginning of the Kuwait crisis).

September 1990

Hashemi Rafsanjani announced that the main issues in relations with Western European countries have been resolved.

November 1990

Iran's Foreign Minister (Ali Akbar Velayati) met and discussed with the foreign ministers of the European Community on the sidelines of the 45th UN General Assembly session.

December 1990

The Irish Foreign Minister visited Iran, leading to the lifting of European Economic Community sanctions against the Islamic Republic.

March 15, 1990

The Damascus Declaration on establishing 2+6 security arrangements was issued, excluding the Islamic Republic of Iran from regional security management.

1991

Establishment of the permanent mission of the Islamic Republic of Iran at the Organization of Islamic Cooperation headquarters in Jeddah.

1991

The first specialized meeting of the Islamic Human Rights Committee was held in Tehran.

1991

The end of the bipolar system with the dissolution of the Soviet Union.

January 1992

Democrat Bill Clinton elected as President of the United States (Note: Hillary Clinton never became President; this refers to Bill Clinton's election).

March 2, 1992

Hashemi Rafsanjani sent a message in response to European leaders' statement, expressing Iran's readiness for serious and frank dialogue with the European community and its members.

April 17, 1992

The Prime Minister of Denmark (EU President at the time) emphasized the importance of constructive, comprehensive, and open dialogue with the Islamic Republic of Iran.

1992

Ratification of the Maastricht Treaty and the formation of the European Union.

October 5, 1992

Iran and the United Arab Emirates entered negotiations to develop and strengthen relations and good neighborliness.

1993

Iran attempted to bring Central Asian and Caucasus countries into ECO membership.

February 1993

The "Dual Containment" policy against Iran was announced and implemented by the United States.

May 28, 1993

Hashemi Rafsanjani stated in an interview with Time magazine that he does not trust political negotiations with the US due to its lack of goodwill.

March 24, 1993 and May 16, 1993

Clinton banned any assistance or involvement of American citizens in Iranian oil operations.

Early August 1996

The Iran and Libya Sanctions Act (ILSA) was passed in the US Congress, known as the D'Amato Act.

December 20, 1996

Hashemi Rafsanjani attended the 6th OIC Summit in Dakar, Senegal.

March 2, 1997

Hashemi Rafsanjani traveled to Riyadh and met with King Fahd and Crown Prince Abdullah.

June 1997

Seyyed Mohammad Khatami was elected President (beginning of the Reform Era).

December 18, 1997

Seyyed Mohammad Khatami proposed the "Dialogue Among Civilizations" at the 8th Islamic Summit in Tehran.

January 17, 1997

Seyyed Mohammad Khatami conveyed his message to the American people via CNN.

February 9, 1997

Bill Clinton responded to Khatami's initiative, calling Iran an "important country with an ancient and rich cultural heritage."

August 1997

The 8th Islamic Summit Conference was held in Tehran, and Seyyed Mohammad Khatami was elected as the President of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation for three years.

October 1998

Seyyed Mohammad Khatami attended the 53rd UN General Assembly and proposed the Dialogue of Civilizations, suggesting the year 2001 be named after it.

November 4, 1998

The UN General Assembly unanimously adopted Resolution 53/22, naming the year 2001 as the Year of Dialogue among Civilizations.

April 1999

The Saudi Arabian Foreign Minister (Saud Al-Faisal) visited Iran and emphasized the need for stronger cooperation between Iran and Saudi Arabia.

May 1999

President Khatami's visit to Saudi Arabia and Qatar.

April 1999

Bill Clinton stated in an unprecedented position that Iran had few violations.

November 7, 1999

President Khatami attended the annual UNESCO meeting and outlined his views on the essential prerequisites for the realization of dialogue among cultures and civilizations.

December 1999

Dr. Jalal Dehghani Firouzabadi presented a scholarly lecture on the foreign policy discourses of the Islamic Republic of Iran at the Faculty of Law and Political Science, Allameh Tabataba'i University, for the first time.

September 2000 (Second Half)

President Khatami attended the UN Millennium Summit and emphasized the importance of dialogue among civilizations.

August 25, 2000

The Supreme Leader of Iran (Ayatollah Khamenei) strongly criticized negotiations with the United States.

September 27, 2000

The foreign ministers of Iran and the United States met for the first time in 20 years at the 6+2 meeting on the Afghanistan crisis in New York.

September 11, 2001

Terrorist attacks in the United States, leading to the Afghanistan and Iraq crises.

August 2003

President Khatami's visit to Kabul as the first foreign leader signified Iran's approval and support for Afghanistan's transitional government.

February 2002

President George W. Bush labeled Iran, along with North Korea and Iraq, as part of the "Axis of Evil" in his State of the Union address.

March 30, 2002

US military attack on Iraq.

May 2002

Madrid meeting of European leaders on Iran ended without a final document.

June 27, 2002

Luxembourg meeting of European leaders agreed to pursue cooperation with Iran through two separate economic-trade documents and one political cooperation document.

Spring 2003

Iran's peaceful nuclear activities were revealed and gradually turned into a foreign policy crisis.

June 2003

The European Union issued a statement making its negotiations with the Islamic Republic conditional.

May 9, 2003

The tenth round of comprehensive Iran-Europe talks was held in Athens.

October 25, 2003

Iran's Secretary of the Supreme National Security Council invited three European countries (Britain, Germany, and France) to visit Tehran.

October 29, 2003

Signing of the Tehran Declaration (or Saadabad Declaration) in Tehran between Iran and three European countries.

2004

Signing of the Additional Protocol 93+2 to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) by Iran's representative at the International Atomic Energy Agency (not yet ratified by the parliament).

2004

The Herat-Dogharoon road project in Afghanistan was inaugurated.

September 2004

Announcement of general policies for the Fourth Development Plan in foreign policy.

December 23, 2004

Start of the first round of negotiations for implementing the Paris Agreement in Brussels.

January 2004 (20 to 25)

It was decided to start negotiations on the trade and cooperation agreement between Iran and Europe.

January 1st (2004)

Political and security negotiations began in Geneva.

Mid-2004 (as per author)

Beginning of the "Era of Principlism" in the foreign policy of the Islamic Republic of Iran with the advent of the ninth government.

April 3, 2005

The second steering committee meeting was held in Paris where Iran presented its four-step plan.

May 9, 2005

The third steering committee meeting in London reached a deadlock.

June 4, 2005

Hassan Rouhani, Javier Solana, Jack Straw, Michel Barnier, and Joschka Fischer met to find a solution to the nuclear negotiation deadlock.

September 2005

Iran rejected the EU's request to suspend enrichment.

September 24, 2005

The IAEA Board of Governors issued a resolution urging Iran to resume negotiations and halt enrichment.

September 2006

Mahmoud Ahmadinejad emphasized the constructive role of the Non-Aligned Movement at its 14th summit.

February 2005

Ahmadinejad's visit to Syria and discussions with journalists about forming a "global anti-imperialist and anti-hegemonic front."

July 2006

The Permanent Secretariat of the Conference in Support of the Palestinian Intifada, affiliated with the Islamic Consultative Assembly, was established.

February 14, 2006

Iran broke the seals at the Natanz facility in the presence of IAEA inspectors to resume uranium enrichment.

April 8, 2006

The IAEA Board of Governors referred Iran's nuclear dossier to the United Nations Security Council.

April 30, 2006

Ali Larijani, in a letter to ElBaradei, announced Iran's readiness to negotiate with the agency to resolve the nuclear issue.

Early 2007

Sharm el-Sheikh Conference attended by Manouchehr Mottaki (Iran's Foreign Minister) and Condoleezza Rice (US Secretary of State).

April 2007 (Early)

The UN Security Council issued Resolution 1747, intensifying and expanding sanctions against the Islamic Republic.

September 2007

Ahmadinejad's attendance at the 62nd session of the United Nations General Assembly.

August 30, 2007

Iranian representatives and the agency reached an agreement on the framework and method to resolve remaining issues after three rounds of intensive negotiations.

October 24, 2007

The second summit of the five Caspian Sea littoral states was held in Tehran.

2007

Trade volume between Iran and China reached 15 billion dollars.

June 3, 2011 - Negotiations with P5+1 in Baghdad

Reference to negotiations with P5+1 in Baghdad.

2021 - Establishment of Iqbal Think Tank

Establishment of Iqbal Think Tank by Mohammad Hossein Bagheri.