The Iran-Iraq War (1980-88)

After the Iranian Revolution of 1979, Iran fought a devastating war with Iraq for eight years. The cause of this war was mainly a territorial dispute over the Arvand Rud, a river along their mutual border. Iraq’s leader Saddam Hussein did not support Ayatollah Khomeini’s leadership in Iran. Hussein’s goal was to overthrow Iran’s Shi’a leadership. Hussein and Khomeini clashed immensely in their religious and political views. In September of 1980, Iraqi forces invaded Iran. They were supported by the United States and Europe with the aim of defeating Iran; however, Iran regained control in June 1982, retaking their land and rejecting a ceasefire offer. From 1984-87, a tanker war began and both countries attacked each other’s oil exports and ports. The UN attempted to enforce a ceasefire in July 1987 but Khomeini refused. In July 1988, the United States shot down an Iranian civilian airliner. The war continued until August 1988, when Khomeini finally accepted a ceasefire agreement. Both leaders committed atrocities towards their enemies and even their own people. It is known that Hussein used chemical weapons against Iranians, as well the Kurds of Halabja, inhabitants of Iraqi land. Khomeini sent thousands of boys as young as 14 to fight to the death. The estimated death toll of this bloody war was nearly 1.5 million overall. Neither Iran nor Iraq won the war and, instead, both countries lost many men and suffered severe economic damages. The financial cost of the war was estimated at $500 billion.

404

500