Iran's Nuclear Deal Since 2016: A Timeline

In 2015, Iran and world powers settled on the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), a deal that placed curbs on Iran’s nuclear capabilities in exchange for substantial sanctions relief. The years since have seen dramatic, often unexpected, developments. Seven years on, the nuclear deal is on the brink of collapse and the Iranian nuclear program has grown in sophistication and size.

This timeline helps make sense of these developments by providing an overview of the JCPOA’s troubled history: from its implementation in 2016, to President Trump's contentious withdrawal in 2018, to the recent resumption of indirect talks under President Biden’s administration. 

You can find all of Crisis Group’s work on Iran here, including our latest report on the JCPOA: The Iran Nuclear Deal at Six: Now or Never.