Cold War in the Middle East

Both superpowers competed for influence in the strategically vital Middle East.

• Suez Crisis (1956): Egyptian President Nasser nationalized the Suez Canal. Britain, France, and Israel attacked Egypt. The U.S. (uneasy about supporting old colonial powers and worried about

driving Egypt into Soviet arms) pressured them to withdraw. The crisis humiliated Britain and France, demonstrated their decline as global powers, and pushed Egypt toward Soviet alignment.

• Arab-Israeli wars: Israel, founded in 1948, fought wars with Arab neighbors in 1948, 1956, 1967 (Six-Day War), and 1973 (Yom Kippur War). The U.S. backed Israel; the USSR backed Egypt, Syria, and the Palestine Liberation Organization. The conflict became deeply embedded in Cold War rivalry.
• Iranian Revolution (1979): Overthrew the U.S.-backed Shah and established an Islamist republic under Ayatollah Khomeini. Iran became hostile to both superpowers, though it complicated Cold War calculations. The hostage crisis (52 American diplomats held for 444 days) severely damaged the Carter administration.