1979-1980: Hostage Crisis: Iranian students overrun the U.S. embassy in Tehran and take more than 60 Americans hostage. Talks between the U.S. and Iran to secure the release of the hostages culminate in the 1981 Algiers Accords.
1985-1986: Iran-Contra: Secret contacts between American and Iranian officials aimed at freeing U.S. hostages held by pro-Iranian guerillas in Lebanon take place.
1988: Tensions in the Persian Gulf: U.S. warships sank an Iranian frigate and shelled two Persian Gulf oil platforms in response to a mine attack against U.S. frigate. The U.S. Navy accidentally shot down an Iranian commercial jet.
1995: Economic Sanctions: The U.S. imposed sanctions, first prohibiting American companies from doing business with Iran, then embargoing non-American companies investing in Iran’s oil and gas sector.
1998: Hopes for New Ties: Iran’s new president, Mohammed Khatami, called for a “dialogue among civilizations” on CNN.
2000: U.S. Overture: Secretary of State Madeleine Albright apologized for the U.S. role in the 1953 overthrow of Iran’s prime minister. Some sanctions were lifted. Albright later met with Iranian Foreign Minister Kamal Kharrazi as part of the Six-Plus-Two regional talks on Afghanistan.
2001: Post-9/11 Cooperation on Afghanistan: The U.S. and Iran, with other UN members, met to form a post-Taliban government and constitution.
2002: Axis of Evil Speech: President Bush mentions Iran as part of an "axis of evil" in his State of the Union speech.
2003: Iran’s Overture: An overture from Iran for comprehensive bilateral talks, reportedly signed off at the highest levels of government, was offered to U.S. officials in May.
2004: Powell’s Brief Meeting: Outgoing Secretary of State Colin Powell met with Iran’s foreign minister, Kamal Kharrazi, at an international conference on Iraq.
2006: Ahmadinejad’s Letter: President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad sent President Bush a rambling eighteen-page letter.
2006-2007: Growing Tensions in Iraq and Gulf: U.S. forces detain Iranians alleged to support violent groups in Iraq and Iran and U.S. holds naval exercises in the Gulf.
2007: Contacts on Iraq: Secretary of State Rice and Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki exchanged pleasantries at a May conference on Iraq.
Also in May, U.S. Ambassador to Iraq Ryan Crocker met his Iranian counterpart in a “businesslike” meeting on Iraqi security issues
From a report by Lionel Beehner, Council on Foreign Relations with additional resources (PBS, International Herald Tribune, Reuters, The State Department, The White House)
