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| 1979 |
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| Middle Eastern peace negotiations continued, and a PEACE TREATY between Egypt and Israel was signed in March. Other Arab states continued to oppose the Egyptian action, imposing an economic boycott on Egypt and severing diplomatic relations. | 1 |
| The ISLAMIC REPUBLIC OF IRAN was established with the departure of the shah (Jan.) and the return of Ayatollah Khomeini from exile (Feb.). The international effect was increased when militants seized the U.S. embassy in Tehran and held U.S. diplomats hostage. The UN Security Council and then the International Court of Justice called for the release of all hostages. | 2 |
| Pope John Paul II made a series of international trips and affirmed a more conservative vision for the Church. He visited Latin America (Jan.), Poland (June), Ireland (Sept.), and the United States (Oct.). | 3 |
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| March |
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| A major accident occurred at the Three Mile Island nuclear power plant in the United States, reflecting the potential dangers of utilizing nuclear energy for electricity production. | 4 |
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| April |
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| The TOKYO ROUND OF NEGOTIATIONS UNDER THE GATT was completed, with agreement on significant reductions of tariffs. Rhodesian elections were held on the basis of universal sufferage, and Bishop Abel Muzorewa's party won a majority of seats in the Parliament. The election was repudiated by the UN Security Council (May). International negotiations continued, and a peace agreement allowing for political participation by the Patriotic Front was signed by all parties in December. | 5 |
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| May |
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| A draft treaty resulting from the seven years of SALT II negotiations between the United States and the Soviet Union was completed and signed by Carter and Brezhnev in Vienna (June). | 6 |
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| July |
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| The International Whaling Commission banned all whale hunting in the Red Sea, the Arabian Sea, and much of the Indian Ocean. | 7 |
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| Sept |
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| The Sixth Summit Conference of the Non-Aligned Nations was held in Havana. Vietnamese occupation of Cambodia and foreign troops in Africa were important areas of disagreement. | 8 |
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| Dec |
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| The price of gold bullion on the London exchange closed the year at $524 per ounce. This reflected the transformation from the Bretton Woods system (which came to an end in 1971), in which gold was fixed at $35 per ounce. | 9 |
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