They weren't at war when they left port.
Ummmm....I'm with Google AI in this one: Iran has effectively been at war with the US since 1979.
That said, Trump attacking Iran is not a smart move as the casualties and economic upheaval will prove. The Third Option was working, but Trump needed another Epstein Distraction so here we are.
Google AI:
when did iran first declare war on the us?
Iran has never officially declared war on the United States in the traditional sense of a formal diplomatic document.
However, many historians and officials point to several key moments as "de facto" declarations of war:
1979 Hostage Crisis: On November 4, 1979, Iranian students seized the U.S. Embassy in Tehran, holding 52 Americans hostage for 444 days. This event is widely regarded as the start of open hostilities.
"Death to America" Fatwa (1979): Some perspectives consider the early revolutionary rhetoric and fatwas issued by Ayatollah Khomeini against the U.S. as a functional declaration of war.
Proxy Warfare (1980sโPresent): Iran has consistently engaged in asymmetric warfare through groups like Hezbollah, which the U.S. views as extensions of the Iranian state.
Current Conflict (2026)
As of March 2026, the U.S. and Iran are currently in a state of active military conflict following coordinated U.S. and Israeli strikes on February 28, 2025.
Action without Declaration: While the U.S. President initiated "Operation Epic Fury," Congress has not issued a formal declaration of war, leading to significant domestic legal debate.
Iranian Response: Iran has categorized its retaliation as Operation True Promise IV, describing the initial U.S./Israeli actions as an "unprovoked war of aggression".