The Iran-Iraq War began in 1980 when Iraq invaded Iran and lasted until 1988. There were several longstanding territorial disputes over the Shatt al-Arab waterway and religious and ideological tensions between the two countries' governments that contributed to the outbreak of war. Iraq's leader Saddam Hussein hoped to take advantage of Iran's weakened military and divided new revolutionary government to achieve influence in the region. The war resulted in over a million casualties before a UN-brokered ceasefire.

1. Causes

2.  Who started the Iran-Iraq war?
 What were the causes of the Iran-Iraq War?
 How long did it last?
 What were the Foreign influence in the war?
 How many died?

3.  Iraq's foreign minister, Sa'adoun Hammadi,
(1981) "The problem is neither new nor
simple. It goes back over 460 years of
history.”
 traditional rivalry - both powers attempting
to impose their hegemony on the Gulf region

4.  Hegemony is the political, economic,
ideological or cultural power exerted by a
dominant group over other groups,
regardless of the explicit consent of the
latter.

5.  The Shah saw himself as the sole guardian of
Gulf security. (1971)”I believe that the Persian
Gulf must always be kept open - under
Iranian protection - for the benefit of not only
my country but the other Gulf countries and
the world…after the British withdrawal from
the Gulf, the safety and security of the area
had to be guaranteed, who but Iran could
fulfil this function?”
 Repeated attempts to make regional military
alliances with monarchy/US allied states in
the Gulf

6.  Iranian forces took over control of the three
islands at the mouth of the Gulf (Abu Mousa
and the Greater and Lesser Tunbs) in 1971
 Iraq: Iran's massive military modernization
program in the 1970s = expansionism at the
expense of the Arab neighbors

7.  Claims to sovereignty over Bahrain were
renewed
 (Encouraged) entire population of the Gulf
states in general, to stage "Iranian-style"
Islamic revolutions

8.  Iraq's Ba'athist ideology: Pan-Arabism
resulted in Iraq’s desire for Arab leadership
 Seeks to unify those Arabs within the
boundaries of one Arab nation-state "from
the Gulf to the Ocean
 Present political boundaries as temporary and
artificial and foreign inspired and imposed.
 Egypt’s peace treaty with Israel in 1979 –
leadership vacuum in Arab world.
◦ Iraq saw an opportunity to become “undisputed
leader of the Arab world”

9.  Khuzestan – large Arab population enclave in
Iran.
◦ Iraq supports secessionist movements
◦ “Arabistan which is part of Iraq's soil and was
annexed to Iran during foreign rule”
◦ Renaming Iran cities with Arabic names and
inclusion of province in Iraqi maps (Nasiriyyah)
◦ Iraqi agents and radio activitly calling for revolt
◦ Most oil rich province in Iran

10.  70,000 Iraqis of (questionable) Iranian origin
were forceable expelled in 1971

11.  Pre-World War 1 – Desire for independent
state
 After World War 1, Kurds found themselves
divided between five countries (Iran, Iraq,
Syria, Turkey and the Soviet Union)
 Kurdish nationalist goal = sovereignty and
political integrity of the regional states would
be undermined
 Iraq is the most vulnerable and volatile since
the Kurds constitute a full 20% of the
population, a much higher percentage than in
any of the other states

12.  Result - guerilla warfare and rebellion have
broken out since the 1920s in Iraq
 Iraqi Kurdistan - main source of oil revenue
◦ “ to give up the region was considered tantamount
to committing economic suicide”
 The Shah's Iran actively supported the
Kurdish rebellion
◦ financially,
◦ politically – appealed to international community,
◦ Militarily – base of operation, military training, and
supplied with arms, ammunitions and logistics.

13.  1980 - Iran was supporting Shi'i elements in
Iraq and encouraging them to stage a take-
over of politics; and Iraq was supporting
ethnic unrest in Khozestan and Baluchistan,
in addition to Kurdistan

14.  Discuss how a causation link could be made
between the ethnic issues and the start of war
between Iraq and Iran

15.  Since 17th seventeenth century - subject of
political confrontation and negotiations
 “characteristic of the Iran-Iraq relationship
is a tendency to unilaterally abrogate
treaties which no longer seem to serve the
interests of the stronger party.”
 “Iran's politics since the 1600s have been
marked by an obsession with seeking at least
partial, if not full, control over the Gulf”
 Iran repeatedly traded northern territory for
more concessions along the Shatt

16. • Iraq's
longest
border is
with Iran.
•Narrow
waterway
formed by
the
confluence
of the
Tigris and
Euphrates
rivers
•120 miles
long

17. ◦ Only outlet for Iraq/ important Iranian port of
Khorramshahr
◦ Part of the Khuzistan province which is the
major oil producing area for Iran (Arabic
speaking)

18.  1847: Treaty of Erzerum: gave sovereignty of the
water way to the Ottomans.
 1932: Britain gives all of the water to the new state
Iraq. Disputed by Iran
 1937 Agreement: Unimpeded Iranian access to the
water way
 1969: Iran unilaterally annuls the 1937 agreement.
◦ Begins support of Kurdish separatist movements
 1975 Algiers Agreement
 http://www.francona.com/commentaries/shatt.html

19.  Mid-point of the waterway will serve as the dividing line
between the two states
 Iran and US will stop supporting the Kurdish uprising
 Iran was to compensate territorially with 400 square
kilometers in the central Ahwaz zone
 Commissions were established to redraw the boundary
lines
◦ The work not complete when the Iranian Revolution
started
 Iranian leaders expressed their intentions to export their
revolution to neighboring countries
 Renewed fighting in Kurdish areas and revolution support
in AlDa'wa Party – Hussein viewed as violation of treaty
 Agreement publically torn up by Hussein 5 days before
invasion

20.  Dispute lead to series of minor military
exchanges along border that were increasing
in intensity.

21.  How could a territorial dispute cause a
conflict when there was a diplomatic
agreement four years earlier?

22.  Historical disputes over the legitimacy and
authenticity of theology in following the
"true" religion
 1420s traditional rivalry intensified and
formalized politically
◦ Safawi (Safavide) dynasty established in Persia
rebelling against O.E
◦ Established Shi'ism as the state religion
 “The Iranian Revolution revived an inter-
Islamic rivalry that had been dormant for
centuries between Sunni and Shi'i elements”

23.  Concept of vilayat-e faqih – Khomeini as
Imam
 Iraq, Bahrain and Gulf states threat from
Iranian- inspired secessionist movements
among their Shi'i populations or political
Islamic communities
 Exportation of the revolution
◦ Monarchy system “un-Islamic” “Western”
◦ Nationalism (including Arab nationalism)
is part of an imperialist conspiracy
which aims at destroying the Islamic
Umma (nation)

24.  The Ba'ath Party: secularist but not atheistic,
 Arabs not all Muslims – Arab nation is a mix
of different religious orientations.
 Religion in its proper perspective, side-by-
side with other considerations
 Hussein: “Khomeini is a mad mullah seeking
personal power and to return Iran to the 'dark
ages'."

25.  Iranian population 80% Shi'i and Iraqi Shi'is more than
50%
 Iraqi Baath Party policy of “marginalizing and
delegitimizing the Shia majority”
 Ayatollah Khomeini had developed a network in Iraq
during his time in exile in Iraq
 Ayatollah Sayyid Muhammad Baqr al Sadr inspirational
leader - was known to be a personal friend and a
protege of Ayatollah Khomeini. J
 July 1979 riots broke out in An Najaf and in Karbala
 Ad Dawah al Islamiyah (the Islamic Call)
 Assassination attempts (Iraqi foreign minister Tariq Aziz
– only non-Muslim Minister) followed by number of
attempted assassinations of government officials
 Executions of Ayatollah Sayyid Muhammad Baqr al Sadr

26. ◦ Fear over the spread of Khomeini revolutions
◦ Riots in Bahrain,
◦ Bombings in Kuwait
◦ Violent seize of Grand Mosque in Mecca:
November 20 - December 4, 1979

27. Khomeini : “We are fighting to protect Islam
and he [Saddam Hussein] is fighting to
destroy Islam. At the moment, Islam is
completely confronted by blasphemy, and
you should protect and support Islam”

28.  Iran’s military destabilized by revolution
◦ Nearly all officers with ranks above colonel were
eliminated
◦ Desertion rateshigh among the regular military
personnel
◦ Replaced with Revolutionary Guard
◦ Iraq large military of 190,000 men, with 2,200
tanks and 450 aircrafts – Soviet supplied

29.  Iranian economy was in a shambles
◦ Shortages and oil production virtually halted
◦ inflation and unemployment ran high
 International diplomatic cover:
◦ Radical student elements were holding Americans
hostage in their own embassy
◦ International unease over “radical state”
◦ US elections, Afghanistan, Poland issues
 Unclear leadership
◦ Assembly of Experts (split between
moderates/Parliamentarians (Freedom Movement) and the
Council of the Islamic Republic, 12 member Council of
Guardians and the “Hidden Iman”
◦ Kurds and leftists openly rebelling

30.  Anticipated support of ethnic minorities
 war with limited military objectives – goal of
destablizing and toppling Iranian government
while still keeping ease of supply lines

31.  “Iraq's leaders chose an excellent moment to
attack Iran. “

32.  Both leaders recently in power
 Khomeini Feb 1979
 Hussein purging of the Baath Party July
1979

33. Iran
 challenges from moderates and the radical Islamic
socialist
 In process of writing and modifying the
constitution
 Bani-Sader elected as first President (committed to
concept of a secular government
 Tensions with the United States over Embassy
hostage crisis and attempted rescue

34. US
 Anti US rhetoric and hostage crisis in Iran
 Loss of major ally in Iran – double ally policy in the
Middle East