Forever War: The U.S. and Iran Have Been At It For Decades (Unofficially) Although the U.S. and Iran have never officially be at war, that doesn't mean things never came to blows. Here's What You Need To Remember: The Carter Doctrine declared that the United States would use force to defend its interests in the Persian Gulf. The Iranian Revolution created a Persian Gulf state whose objectives were decidedly antithetical to American interests. It didn't take long for the tension to come to a head. The orders from the Joint Chiefs of Staff were clear: the Iranian frigate