India, April 8 -- The Iran war, which has gripped West Asia for over a month, began with a sudden and deadly escalation and has since spiralled across land, sea and air, drawing in multiple countries and disrupting global trade. Here is a clear, chronological account of how the conflict unfolded.

February 18: In the weeks leading up to the war, the United States and Iran were engaged in indirect negotiations over Tehran's nuclear programme, with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi saying both sides had agreed on "guiding principles" but that a final deal was not imminent.

At the same time, Washington was preparing for a possible large-scale conflict, deploying aircraft carriers, warships and fighter jets to the region, as officials i...