U.S. Begins Its First War With Iraq
The United States and its allies open a long-threatened war to drive Saddam Hussein's army from Kuwait, striking Baghdad and other targets in Iraq and Kuwait with waves of bombers and cruise missiles.
Feb. 4Washington Declines Iran's Offer to Mediate
President Hashemi Rafsanjani of Iran offers to serve as a mediator between the United States and Iraq to seek an end to the Persian Gulf war. Iraq has no immediate public reaction, and the overture is received coolly by the administration of the first President George Bush.
Feb. 28Bush Halts the Fighting
A tank battle between allied armored units and Iraq's Republican Guard help bring the seven months of war in Kuwait to a close. Hours later, President Bush orders allied forces to suspend offensive military operations against Hussein's isolated and battered army. In an address from the Oval Office that is televised around the world, the president calls on Hussein to send his commanders to meet with allied officers in the war zone within 48 hours to settle the military terms of a permanent cease-fire.
Jan. 9, 1995Iran and Russia Sign Nuclear Contract
Iran announces that it will sign a contract with Russia to complete a nuclear power plant on the Persian Gulf coast, but it denies a report that it may be less than five years away from producing nuclear weapons. The site is at Bushehr, Iran, which is thought to be the nation's most active center for nuclear weapons research and production.
