For much of the 20th century, the US and Iran maintained friendly relations. During the Cold War, Washington depended on the Shah of Iran to counter Soviet influence in the oil-rich Middle East.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government survived an attempt by opposition parties to dissolve parliament early Thursday, as tensions spiked over Iran’s nuclear program.

An attempt by the Israeli opposition to bring down the government of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and force early elections failed in parliament on Thursday by the narrowest of margins. Sixty-one members of the 120-seat Knesset voted against the opposition motion.