Al Jazeera reported on August 2, 2026, that the special documentary “Iran: The Making of a War” examines the background of one of modern history’s most influential political conflicts. The film traces more than seven decades of developments and details how the geopolitics of earlier periods produced today’s direct confrontation involving Iran.

The documentary begins with the 1953 military coup led by the CIA that removed Iran’s then prime minister, Mohammad Mossadegh. It follows subsequent political transformations, including how a monarchy allied with Western powers under Mohammad Reza Pahlavi gave way to the 1979 Islamic Revolution led by Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini.

It says relations between Iran and the United States ended completely after the Islamic Revolution and the US hostage crisis in Tehran, while Tehran’s rivalry with US ally Israel intensified. In later decades, proxy warfare, covert military operations and international disputes over Iran’s nuclear programme shaped the country’s prolonged conflict. The documentary explores how regional tensions eventually became direct military confrontation and how this created serious risks for the global economy and security.