2025 Israel-Iran Conflict, the Details and Background of the Nuclear War Crisis

Introduction: Why Does War Happen Again?

In June 2025, the Middle East was once again engulfed in tumult as Israel precision-struck Iran's nuclear facilities. In response, Iran declared immediate retaliation, and the international community held its breath in the face of the possibility of full-scale war. The two countries are not merely hostile neighbors. For decades, conflicts surrounding ideology, security, and religion have accumulated, and this tension still precariously teeters on the brink of escalation. This article aims to explore the historical, political, and geopolitical context in which the clashes between Israel and Iran have formed and to analyze why this conflict ultimately had to lead to the extreme choice of war.

Main Point 1: From Allies to Rivals – A Turning Point that Changed the Course of History

Israel and Iran were not always in an adversarial relationship. Until the Iranian Islamic Revolution in 1979, Iran under the Pahlavi dynasty maintained economic and military cooperation with Israel as a key ally of the United States. However, with the establishment of the Islamic theocracy led by Khomeini, that relationship rapidly reversed. After the Islamic Revolution, Iran defined Israel as an 'illegal state of Zionism' and prioritized the liberation of Palestine as the foremost goal of its foreign policy. As a result, the conflict transformed from mere diplomatic disputes into an existential clash over identity and the right to exist. Iran denies the existence of Israel, and Israel considers Iran an existential threat, placing the relations between the two countries on a continuum of conflict rather than dialogue.

Main Point 2: Nuclear Issue - Intransigent Conflict Surrounding Survival

The core of the conflict between Israel and Iran lies in the issue of 'nuclear development.' Israel has maintained the position that the moment Iran possesses nuclear weapons, the very existence of the Jewish state will be threatened. On the other hand, Iran argues that its nuclear program is defensive in nature and is an expression of sovereignty in the face of Western pressure. The Iran nuclear deal (JCPOA), signed in 2015, had the potential to ease tensions, but the unilateral withdrawal by the Trump administration in 2018 effectively nullified the agreement, raising tensions between the two countries once again. Since then, Israel has engaged in a shadow war to prevent Iran's nuclear development, employing tactics such as the assassination of scientists, cyberattacks, and airstrikes, and by 2025, it ultimately opened the door to full-scale conflict with a preemptive strike on Iranian nuclear facilities.

Main Point 3: Proxy Wars and Geopolitics – The Expansion and Deepening of Ideological Conflicts

Instead of direct confrontation, Iran has pressured Israel for a long time through proxy wars. Iranian-aligned forces such as Hezbollah in Lebanon, Hamas in Gaza, the Syrian government forces, and the Houthi rebels in Yemen continuously threaten Israel through various fronts. As a result, Israel has had to exist under a constant sense of security isolation, as if it were always besieged. With the addition of global geopolitical competition, the Middle East has transformed into a strategic battlefield where the interests of major world powers clash, beyond simple regional conflicts. Israel is strengthening security alliances with the U.S., Saudi Arabia, and the UAE, while Iran is expanding strategic cooperation with Russia and China, forming a sort of 'Middle Eastern version of the Cold War'.

Main Point 4: The Collapse of Diplomacy - A Void More Dangerous than Weapons

The escalation of conflict is not solely due to military confrontation, but stems from the collapse of diplomatic channels. Since 1979, official diplomatic relations between the two countries have been effectively severed, and international organizations have also failed to act as mediators. In particular, the U.S. withdrawal from the nuclear agreement weakened moderate factions within Iran and led Israel to conclude that it had no realistic options other than military means. In a situation where diplomatic trust has eroded, both countries have come to rely on displays of force and competition in deterrence, and war has emerged not as an extension of diplomacy, but as a tragic outcome of diplomatic failure.

Conclusion: Could the war have been avoided?

The conflict between Israel and Iran is not just a simple political dispute, but a multi-layered crisis intertwined with identity and survival, religious beliefs, nuclear deterrence, proxy warfare strategies, and a lack of diplomacy. Both sides perceive the very existence of the other as a threat, and thus the conflict has always unfolded in the form of a 'zero-sum game.' Therefore, the question becomes more urgent: Could this war have been truly avoided? The answer depends on how much trust diplomacy has built, how fairly and consistently the international community has intervened, and how maturely regional countries have established an autonomous peace order. For Israel and Iran to move towards peace again, merely laying down arms is insufficient. The most fundamental condition must start with acknowledging each other's existence. This is the hardest path, but simultaneously the only path.