From Obama to Biden: Shifting U.S. Approaches to the Iran-Israel Conflict and Implications for Regional Peace

This paper will explore the change in the U.S. foreign policy in the Iran-Israel conflict under the leadership of Presidents Obama, Trump, and Biden and how that will impact regional peace and security. Having been influenced by ideological enmity and strategic dilemma, the Iran-Israel conflict has long been a determinant in geopolitics in the Middle East. Obama administration prioritized diplomacy as evidenced by the Iran Nuclear Deal (JCPOA) whereas Trump chose an adversarial approach, pulling out of the JCPOA and becoming a strong ally of Israel. The course of action taken by Biden is one of cautious involvement, that of trying to revive diplomacy without losing the friendship of Israel. This study poses the question of the effect of these policy changes on the conflict situation and the future of regional peace. Using a qualitative comparative study of official documents of U.S. policy, speeches, and expert reports, the research concludes that policy inconsistency in the United States has led to instability and has provided diplomatic opportunities. The results underscore the importance of the balanced U.S. policy, which would focus on the de-escalation, multilateralism, and sustainable peace systems in the area.