The relationship between the  United States and Iran dates back to the second half of the nineteenth century. However, the United States' real involvement with Iran began during the World War II years. While the relationship between the two countries has generally been close, it has been been punctuated by a chain of event and perspectives that have significantly shaped the way the two countries interact with and view one another to this day. The United States' involvement in the 1953 coup, the Islamic Revolution of 1979, and the following Hostage Crisis have led to a major break in the relationship between the two countries that have not yet been repaired. These two countries, once close friends and allies, now view each other as the "Great Satan" and a member of the "Axis of Evil." After over thirty years of silence, however, the relations between Iran and the U.S. has reached a new and more hopeful frontier led by a determination from both countries to solve their long-running tensions and disputes.