Israel has accused Iran of harboring genocidal intentions, while Iran has accused Israel of conducting a genocide in Gaza. Consequently, Israel has sought sanctions and military action against Iran to stop it from acquiring nuclear weapons.

Since the 1979 revolution, Iran's regime has conducted terrorist attacks and assassinations in more than 20 countries. In July 2018, authorities foiled the regime's terrorist plot against Iranian dissidents living in Paris. In 2019, the regime kidnapped a journalist in Iraq and killed an opposition figure in Turkey.

The Iran–Israel war is an ongoing armed conflict between Iran and the Houthis against Israel and the United States that began on 13 June 2025, when Israel launched a surprise attack targeting key Iranian military and nuclear facilities.