3. When? September 22nd, 1980 ~ 1988
Where? Areas near the border of Iran and Iraq.
(First on Iran's territory, later on Iraq's territory
as well)
Who? Iraq and Iran, led by Saddam Hussein and
Khomeini respectively,
What? almost 9 years of total/ conventional war
(for both sides)
Why (immediate cause)? In September 1980,
border skirmishes erupted in the central sector
near Qasr-e Shirin, with an exchange of artillery
fire by both sides. And on September 22nd of the
same year, Iraq invaded Tehran with their air
forces, MiG-23s and MiG-21s.
4. This war led to Gulf War of 1991, which
was also started from Iraqi aggression
This was fought between two of the largest
oil exporters
Explains why the number of allies were
so large/ The war was internationally
important
Used CW and BW Iraq widely used these,
whereas Iran allegedly used them
5. Use of Air force was also very significant
Iraqi MiG-23s/ MiG-21s, Iranian F-14s and Scud
(Missiles) which were used first by Iraq, and later
also by Iran, to bomb each other’s territory
High economic losses for both sides + countries
involved
Civilian involvement & impact was huge
Resulted from a variety of long/short-term Causes
The war was ended with the help of UN
(Iran accepting UN’s Security Council Resolution 598, l
eading to a 20 August 1988 cease-fire.)
6.
7. •Please look at the notes !!!
•WAR WAS THE RESULT OF….
•Long-term, Short-term, Immediate Causes
•Economic, Social, Religious, Ideological,
Political and many other causes
8. Economic/ military: significance of Shatt-al-Arab connected
Persian Gulf with the Iranian port of Khorramshahr and Abadan
Religious: Most Iraqi population belived in Sunnis Islam, where
as most Ianian population believed in Shiis Islam. Sunnis and
Shiis Islam were split since 661, when the founder of Islam, Ca
liph was assassined.
Ethnical: Resentment existed between Arabians and Persians
since Arabians invaded Persians centuries ago.
Persians could not form a consolidated country for almost 800
years
Political: 1961~1975, Iraq focused on the suppression of
Kurish rebellions, which led them to accept…
Algiers Agreement of 1975
9. Political:
1) Rise of the two ambitious leaders – Khomeini and
Saddam Hussein
2) Islamic revolution of 1979 caused confusion in Iran
Diplomatic:
1) “Iran hostage crisis” bad relationship with the
U.S.
2) Persecution of communists in Iran bad
relationship with USSR
Military:
Persecution of key military commanders in Pahlavi
Shah’s regime
10.
11. Economic: Islamic revolution in Iran
industries were suffering and export of petroleum
decreased because of the bad relationship w/ the U.S.
Religious:
1) Islamic revolution in Iran also affected Shiis population &
even Kuridish people in Iraq. Many of them fought on the
Iranian side in the war.
2) Khomeini insulted Saddam Hussein, by saying that his
regime is “anti-Islamic”
14. Land forces – tanks/ CW&BW/
artilleries near the border lines
HOWEVER….
Air force was most significant
15. Iraqi air forces invaded Iran without
officially declare war on Iran
Saddam Hussein thought that with
the element of surprise, they can
easily win the war Because….
21. Iraq first used Chemical weapons
when Iran started counter attacking
Many attributed the use of CW in
Iran-Iraq war as the lenient
international policy regarding
CW&BW
22. Ali Hassan al-Majid was the minister
of National Defense at that time, and
he was the one who approved the
use of CW
Many Iraqi soldiers used CW in the
borderline b/w Iran and Iraq
23. 1) US and USSR both supported
2) Islam supported Iraq, whose
population is mainly Arabians.
24.
25. Civilians – many civilians died from bombing or as voluntary
soldiers
Casualties –
Iran acknowledged that nearly 300,000 people died in the
war
Iraq suffered an estimated 375,000 casualties. Another
60,000 were taken prisoner by the Iranians.
Economic – Both sides had huge economic impact
(Iraq’s bad economy Gulf war 1991)
Political: regimes of both Iraq and Iran did not change
much after this war. However, the war made both regimes
oppressed…
26. The war stopped when Iran accepted
UN Security council Resolution 598,
leading to a 20 August 1988 cease-
fire.
Thus, the war in a sense no winner,
and both countries suffered from the
war.
27. Iran-Iraq war caused an enormous
ecomomic, military and social
problems to both Iran and Iraq.
for both fronts it was a TOTAL
WAR
28. Each student must say 3 similarities/
differences between Iran-Iraq war
and wars listed below
World War I:
Gulf War of 1991(Anthony’s war):
6 day war (Laurence’s war):
Korean war (Jimmy war):
31. Books:
a) Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi
b) Geopolitical Determinism: The Origins of the Iran-Iraq War by Efraim
Karsh
c) The Social Origins of the Iran-Iraq War by Thom Workman (Ph.D
Candidate in Department of Political Science in York University)
d) Success in World History Since 1945 by Jack Watson
e) Challenge to Civilization: a history of the 20th century (1952-1999) by
Martin Gilbert
Websites:
1) http://course1.winona.edu/aelafandi/polsci270/iran-iraq-war.htm
2) http://www.iranchamber.com/history/iran_iraq_war/iran_iraq_war1.php
3)http://www.historyofwar.org/articles/wars_iraniraq.html
4) http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/war/iran-iraq.htm
5) http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/arabs/iraniraq.html
6) http://users.erols.com/mwhite28/iraniraq.htm
Notas del editor
Both Became presidents in 1979. Both were very ambitious/ wanted to seize power in the middle east area.
