The Iran nuclear issue has intensified the antagonism between Tehran
and Washington. From August 2002 to August 2005, Britain, France,
and Germany tried to convince Iran to suspend its nuclear program
through diplomatic efforts; thereafter the “Iran Six” (or Five plus One) mechanism, which consists of the five permanent members of the United
Nations Security Council and Germany, came into being, and the direct
antagonism between Iran and the United States became the dominant
factor in negotiations. Moreover, Iran’s anti-Israel president Mahmoud
Ahmadinejad came to power in 2005. The rise of Iran, a bitter antagonism
between Iran and the United States, combined with the anti-Israel
position of the current Iranian government, made Iran the core concern
and main target of U.S. policy in the Gulf region. Although the Obama
Administration has adopted a policy of engagement since 2009, the United
States did not change its attitude on the Iran nuclear issue and Tehran’s
position toward Israel.