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Relations between the United States and Iran broke down after the birth of the Islamic Republic in 1979 and have since been plagued by conflict due to divergent ideological orientations. President Obama broke this cycle by signing the nuclear deal, but we have seen a slump in the relationship since Trump’s election. Trump continues to destroy what his predecessor created. For example, withdrawing from the JCPOA and deciding to assassinate Qasem Soleimani, the Iranian leader of the Quds Force, on January 3. This assassination took place on Iraqi territory, a country caught in a vice between Tehran and Washington. Such an operation can only further heighten tensions in the region. This tension is exacerbated by Tehran’s regional influence, which is strongly contested by Saudi Arabia, with support from Washington.