Back to the full dot-point answer
NSWModern HistoryQuick questions
Section III (Peace and Conflict): Conflict in the Gulf 1980-2011
Quick questions on Iran-Iraq War 1980-1988: HSC Modern History Conflict in the Gulf
13short Q&A pairs drawn directly from our worked dot-point answer. For full context and worked exam questions, read the parent dot-point page.
What is origins?Show answer
The deep causes were the Shatt al-Arab dispute, the contested status of three Gulf islands (the Tunbs and Abu Musa, seized by the Shah in 1971), the Iraqi Baath's pan-Arabism vs Iranian Persian nationalism, and the Sunni-Shia dimension.
What is the Iraqi invasion (September 1980 to early 1982)?Show answer
The Iraqi army crossed the border at six points on 22 September 1980 with around 200,000 troops, 2,200 tanks, and 450 aircraft. The objectives were Khuzestan, Abadan, and the Shatt al-Arab.
What is the Iranian recovery (1982)?Show answer
Operation Fath ul-Mubin (22-30 March 1982) destroyed three Iraqi divisions and freed 1,800 square kilometres. Operation Beit ol-Moqaddas (30 April to 24 May 1982) recaptured Khorramshahr; around 19,000 Iraqi prisoners were taken on 24 May 1982. Saddam ordered withdrawal to the international border on 20 June 1982 and offered a ceasefire.
What is the stalemate (1982-1987)?Show answer
Operation Ramadan (13 July to 28 July 1982) saw 100,000 Iranian troops attack towards Basra. Iraqi defences held. The pattern was set for five years.
What is the War of the Cities?Show answer
The final round (29 February to 20 April 1988) was the most intense. Iraq fired around 200 modified Scud-B missiles (the al-Husayn variant) at Tehran. Around 25 per cent of the Tehran population fled the city.
What is chemical weapons?Show answer
Iraq used mustard gas from late 1981, escalating after 1983. The Muthanna State Establishment near Samarra produced mustard gas, tabun, sarin, and (in trial quantities) VX. Precursor chemicals came from West German, Singaporean, Indian, Dutch, French, and US companies.
What is the Tanker War and superpower involvement?Show answer
The USS Stark (FFG-31) was hit by two Iraqi Exocet missiles on 17 May 1987 with 37 American sailors killed. Iraq apologised; Reagan did not retaliate. Kuwait requested protection for its tankers; the US reflagged 11 Kuwaiti tankers as American (Operation Earnest Will) from July 1987.
What is the ceasefire?Show answer
Iraqi recapture of Al-Faw (17 April 1988), the Mehran offensive (June 1988), and the Tehran missile war ground Iran down. Iran accepted UN Security Council Resolution 598 on 18 July 1988. Khomeini's statement said acceptance was "more deadly than poison." The ceasefire took effect on 20 August 1988.
What is costs?Show answer
Iranian dead: 200,000 to 500,000 military plus civilians. Iraqi dead: 100,000 to 250,000. Iraq emerged with around 80 billion US dollars in foreign debt; Iran with damaged infrastructure.
What is historiography?Show answer
Dilip Hiro (The Longest War, 1991) is the standard contemporary account.
What is treating it as a Sunni-Shia war?Show answer
The Shia of southern Iraq overwhelmingly fought for Saddam, not for their co-religionists in Iran. Iraqi nationalism dominated.
What is missing the June 1982 decision?Show answer
The war as Iranian aggression dates from June 1982, not September 1980.
What is forgetting US-Iran-Contra duality?Show answer
The US tilted to Iraq publicly while selling arms to Iran covertly.