The United States’ entanglement in Iran and Israel’s current conflict has a long, complicated history. Today we’re looking back at how it led up to the U.S. strikes on Iran over the weekend.

Two major factors: Iran’s nuclear capabilities and economic sanctions, which the U.S. used to deter Iran’s nuclear program and to incentivize Iran to sign on to the 2015 nuclear deal.

“Even people who don't really believe that sanctions are very effective look at that as an example where it does seem like it mattered to Iran and brought them to the table,” said Rose Kelanic, director of the Middle East Program at Defense Priorities.

On the show today, Kelanic explains some of the history behind tensions between the U.S. and Iran, the role sanctions played in the 2015 Iran nuclear deal, and how the deal ultimately broke down.

Later, one listener’s take on the Trump administration’s threats to the Pell Grant program. And, a gardening blogger was wrong about DIY plant food hacks.

Here’s everything we talked about today:

• "Strike Set Back Iran’s Nuclear Program by Only a Few Months, U.S. Report Says" from The New York Times

• "Trump tries to maintain fragile ceasefire hours after he announced it" from Politico 

• "Iran’s Nuclear Dreams May Survive Even a Devastating American Blow" from The New York Times 

• "History of US-Iran relations: From the 1953 regime change to Trump strikes" from Al Jazeera 

• "Why Israel will resist any US-Iran nuclear deal" from Atlantic Council 

• "Satellites show damage to Iran's nuclear program, but experts say it's not destroyed" from NPR  

  Got a question for the hosts? Email makemesmart@marketplace.org or leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART.