This article follows the United States’ pursuit of a comprehensive agreement with Iran over its nuclear program, by putting it in the context of U.S. – Israel relations. Firstly, it offers an overview of the highly contextual relations between Israel and Iran, in order to understand the historical evolution of their present-day rivalry. Secondly, it observes the Iranian regime under Mahmoud Ahmadinejad in the aftermath of George W. Bush’s foreign policy actions, and the increased international focus on Iran’s nuclear capabilities. Finally, the focus shifts from President Bush to President Obama and how his foreign policy priorities in the Middle East, particularly the dialogue with Iran, affected the relations with the Israeli government the closer the negotiators got to achieving a final nuclear agreement. This paper seeks to emphasize the interdependent character of the Iran-Israel-U.S. dynamics through the perspective of one of the most pressing regional and international concerns: Iran’s nuclear program.

Keywords: Israel, United States, Iran, Nuclear Program, JCPOA