Iran-Iraq War

By abymasola
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    The Iranian Revolution

    • The Iranian economy was suffering due to the world recession, which increased contempt towards the Shah
    • Anti-shah demonstrations and violent protest
    • Eventually, the Shah leaves to Egypt and Khomeini returns after being exiled and becomes the new leader of Iran

  • Khomeini's Back in Iran & Policies

    • Khomeini becomes an anti-shah leader
    • Wants to make Iran a full Islamic state
    • Had the support of Iranian civilians
    • Khomeini thought Islamic principles should be integrated with government which opposed Hussein’s view on religion
    • Khomeini cut Iran's ties to the West and started to dislike Iraq and Hussein's views

  • The War in 1980

    • Iraq began the war by launching 6 uncoordinated attacks
    • UNSC Resolution 479: ceasefire made by the UN that Khomeini rejected because it did not include taking power away from Hussein
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    Iran-Iraq War

  • War in 1981

    • When the Iranians attacked, they were hoping to retake Khuzestan, but they were stalled by rains and the Iraqis were able to push back
    • Iran was unable to rebuild the armored forces that they lost
    • Iraq had failed to build on the defensive victory and did not counter back
    • Sept: Iranians were able to score their first victories with an attack at Abadan Dec: Iranians attacked Bostan. This was the first instance of human wave attacks. Iranians were able to retake the city

  • War in 1982

    • May: Iranians had a large offensive called “Faith” in which 35,000 Iraqis entrenched themselves as 80,000 Iranians prepared to attack
    • July: in the middle of Ramadan, Tehran (capital of Iran) launched the Blessed Ramadan Offensive.
    • the CIA gave $100,000 to a group in Paris called the Front Liberation of Iran
    • Hussein proclaimed a ceasefire. Saddam was willing to accept Iran’s conditions except for stepping down and the repatriation of Shiites

  • War in 1983

    • Iranians turned to an attrition strategy based on infantry and artillery
    • Focus tuned towards Iranian Kurdistan
    • Hussein used mustard gas against Iranians
    • Iranians attacked French and US Marine forces in Beirut with bombs

  • War in 1984

    • Iranians launched an offensive on the marshes north of Basra (a city in Iraq) to capture oil fields
    • Iraq responded by throwing nerve gas over Iranian positions, along with mustard gas.
    • The Supreme Defense Council in Iran voted to end major offensives and return to trench warfare. All large offensives were canceled
    • Saddam did not want to launch an offensive because he wanted Iraq to look like a victim. -With the outbreak of the Tanker Wars, attacks on cities became less intense

  • War in 1985

    • Iran moved to a ground operation to ruin Saddam’s regime by forcing it to maintain its overmanned army on the front
    • Guerilla warfare continued in Kurdistan from different tribes
    • After a hostage situation, the USSR negotiated with Iran. The USSR refused to provide weapons but did become Iran’s advocate on the UNSC and was a mediator to reach a cease-fire.

  • War in 1986

    • Iran’s large army allowed them to attack the AL-Faw Peninsula. They scored an initial victory, but Iraqis counterattacked with chemical weapons
    • In Iraq, women (usually widows) were trained to use weapons so they could replace militiamen previously assigned to protect sensitive facilities in urban areas.
    • The Iranians launched an all-out offensive against Basra (city in Iraq).

  • War in 1987

    • US sent convoys and special forces to Iran and attacked a couple of Iranian Gulf oil installations
    • The US shipped weapons to Iran in exchange for hostages (in Beirut). The US used the money Iran paid for the weapons to finance the Contras in Nicaragua. After being exposed, the US put an end to the affair with Iran
    • UNSC Resolution 598, used by Iran to get closer ties with the USSR

  • War in 1988

    • April: US announced it was extending its protection to all maritime traffic in the Gulf and were authorized to use force to protect ships of all nationalities -July: after a brutal “accidental” attack from the US, Iran realized it would not win.
    • August: ceasefire officially became effective along the front. A UN peacekeeping force was set.
    • UNSC Resolution 619, sets up a military observer group (peacekeeping force) to oversee the ceasefire.