Other meanings of Iran–Iraq War
History
The Iran–Iraq War (1980–1988) was a protracted armed conflict between the Islamic Republic of Iran and Ba'athist Iraq, triggered by a border dispute and regional ambitions. It became one of the deadliest wars of the late 20th century, with estimates of up to one million casualties and widespread use of chemical weapons.
The war's roots lay in the long-standing Shatt al-Arab waterway dispute, which the 1975 Algiers Agreement had resolved in Iran's favor. After the 1979 Iranian Revolution, Saddam Hussein saw an opportunity to reclaim the waterway and topple the new regime, fearing its Shia revolutionary ideology would inspire Iraq's Shia majority. On September 22, 1980, Iraq invaded Iran, aiming for a quick victory, but met fierce resistance and the conflict soon bogged down into a war of attrition.1
The war evolved through distinct phases: Iraq's initial offensive, Iran's counter-offensives (such as Operation Ramadan in 1982), and the subsequent 'Tanker War' against shipping in the Persian Gulf. Iran employed human-wave attacks, while Iraq used extensive artillery and, from 1983, chemical weapons, including mustard gas and nerve agents, against Iranian troops and Kurdish civilians. The international community's response was muted, with the UN only condemning the use of chemical weapons in 1986.
Both sides received external support: Iraq was backed by the Soviet Union, France, and Gulf Arab states, while Iran relied on Syria, Libya, and, covertly, Israel. The United States tilted toward Iraq, providing intelligence and logistical aid, culminating in the USS Stark incident in 1987. The war ended with UN Security Council Resolution 598, accepted by both sides in August 1988, after Iraq's recapture of the Fao Peninsula and Iran's exhaustion.
Beyond the headlines, the war saw the first use of ballistic missiles in a regional conflict, with 'War of the Cities' exchanges. Iran's use of child soldiers, known as 'Basij', was a distinctive feature. The conflict also led to the creation of the UN Iran-Iraq Military Observer Group (UNIIMOG) to monitor the ceasefire. The war's legacy includes the unresolved issue of chemical weapons compensation and the ongoing dispute over the Shatt al-Arab, which was only settled in 1990 when Iraq accepted the Algiers Agreement.2
This article focuses exclusively on the 1980–1988 conflict between Iran and Iraq.
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