Iran–Israel relations

Bilateral relations

Iran and Israel have not maintained a formal diplomatic relationship with each other since the Islamic Revolution in 1979. Beginning in the mid-1980s, the Iran–Israel proxy conflict has grown to largely dominate the atmosphere of Middle Eastern politics, with both countries' hostility escalating into open war in 2024, 2025, and 2026. The Iranian government of Ruhollah Khomeini severed all existing ties with Israel after seizing power from the Pahlavi dynasty, including by transferring the Embassy of Israel in Tehran to the Palestine Liberation Organization. As guided by the Islamic Revolution's ideology, Iran's foreign policy is primarily focused on destroying Israel and replacing it entirely with a Palestinian state. The Israeli government regards Iran as an existential threat, owing to the country's backing of various militant groups across the region. More recently, Iran's nuclear program has been the most significant source of tension between the two countries; Israel frequently mounts military and intelligence operations in Iran and has also assassinated Iranian nuclear scientists.