Iran–Iraq War facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Iran–Iraq War
Part of the Cold War, aftermath of the Iranian revolution, Iraqi–Kurdish conflict, and Iran–Saudi Arabia proxy conflict
Top-left to bottom-right: An Iranian child soldier on the frontlines An Iranian soldier in a trench wearing a gas mask to guard against Iraqi chemical attacks The USS Stark listing to port after being struck by an Iraqi Exocet missile Burned-out vehicles in the aftermath of Operation Mersad Iraqi prisoners of war after the recapture of Khorramshahr by Iranian forces The 152 mm gun-howitzer D-20 being used by the Iranian Army
Date 22 September 1980 – 20 August 1988 (7 years, 10 months, 4 weeks and 1 day) Location Iran Iraq Result Inconclusive Territorial changes Status quo ante bellum
Belligerents
Iran	Iraq
KDP PUK ISCI Islamic Dawa Party  Hezbollah Shia volunteers	DRFLA MEK NCRI PKDI Salvation Force Arab volunteers
Commanders and leaders
Main Iranian leaders: Ruhollah Khomeini Akbar Rafsanjani Ali Khamenei Mir-Hossein Mousavi	Main Iraqi leaders: Saddam Hussein Adnan Khayr Allah Izzat Ibrahim al-Douri Tariq Aziz
Units involved
See order of battle	See order of battle
Strength
Start of war: 110,000–215,000 soldiers More: 1,700–2,100 tanks, (500–1,150 operable) 1,000–1,900 armoured vehicles, (1,300 operable) 300–1,100 artillery pieces, 421–485 fighter-bombers, (200–205 fully operational) 750–835 helicopters (240 fully operational) In 1982: 350,000 soldiers, 700 tanks, 2,700 armoured vehicles, 400 artillery pieces, 350 aircraft, 700 helicopters In 1988: 600,000–850,000 soldiers, 1,500+ tanks, 800–1,400 armoured vehicles, 600–900 heavy artillery pieces, 60–80 fighter-bombers, 70–90 helicopters KDP: 45,000 Peshmerga (1986–88) PUK: 12,000 Peshmerga (1986–88)	Start of war: 200,000–210,000 soldiers More: 1,750–2,800 tanks, 2,350–4,000 APCs, 1,350–1,400 artillery pieces, 295–380 fighter-bombers, 300–350 helicopters In 1982: 175,000 soldiers, 1,200 tanks, 2,300 armoured vehicles, 400 artillery pieces, 450 aircraft, 180 helicopters In 1988: 800,000–1,500,000 soldiers, 3,400–5,000 tanks, 4,500–10,000 APCs, 2,300–12,000 artillery pieces, 360–900 fighter-bombers, 140–1,000 helicopters KDPI: 30,000 Peshmerga (1980–83) MEK: 15,000 fighters (1981–83, 87–88)
Casualties and losses
Military dead: 200,000–600,000 More: 123,220–160,000 KIA, 60,711 MIA (Iranian claim) 800,000 killed (Iraqi claim) 320,000–500,000 WIA 40,000–42,875 POW 11,000–16,000 civilian dead Economic loss: $627 billion	Military dead: 105,000–500,000 More: 400,000 WIA 70,000 POW Economic loss: $561 billion
Civilian dead: 100,000+ Total dead: 450,000–500,000

The Iran–Iraq War, also called the First Gulf War, was a big fight between Iran and Iraq. It lasted for almost eight years, from September 1980 to August 1988. The war started when Iraq invaded Iran.

Iraq's leader, Saddam Hussein, wanted to stop Iran's new ideas from spreading. These ideas came from the Iranian revolution in 1979, led by Ruhollah Khomeini. Saddam was also worried that Iran, a country mostly of Shia Muslims, would encourage Iraq's Shia majority to turn against his government. His government was led by Sunni Muslims.

Iraq also wanted to become the most powerful country in the Persian Gulf. Before the Iranian Revolution, Iran was stronger and had close ties with the United States and Israel.

Why the War Started

The two countries had argued for a long time about their borders. One main reason for the war was a dispute over the Shatt al-Arab waterway. Iraq wanted to take back land it had given to Iran in 1975.

Iraq also supported groups in Iran who wanted to break away. Saddam Hussein might have wanted to take over Iran's Khuzestan province, where many Arabs lived.

How the War Unfolded

Iraq thought it would win quickly because Iran was going through changes after its revolution. But Iraq's army only made progress for about three months. By December 1980, their attack had stopped.

The Iranian army then started to fight back strongly. By June 1982, Iran had taken back all the land it had lost. After pushing Iraqi forces back to the border, Iran decided to invade Iraq.

This part of the war lasted for five years, with Iran fighting inside Iraq. In 1988, Iraq launched its own big attacks. These battles eventually led to the war ending in a tie, with no clear winner.

The End of the War

After eight years, both countries were tired and their economies were badly hurt. Many people had died. The world did not do much when Iraq used chemical weapons against Iranian soldiers and people. Also, tensions grew between Iran and the United States.

All these things led Iran to agree to a ceasefire. This was arranged by the United Nations Security Council.

About 500,000 people died in the war. Iran had more casualties. This number does not include the many thousands of civilians killed in Iraqi Kurdistan during the Anfal campaign.

The war ended with no money paid for damages and no changes to the borders. Both countries lost over $1 trillion in total.

War Tactics and Support

The Iran–Iraq War was like World War I in some ways. Both sides used trench warfare with barbed wire. They had machine guns and sometimes charged with bayonet charges. Iran also used large "human wave" attacks. Iraq used chemical weapons a lot. Both sides also attacked cities and towns where civilians lived.

Many countries supported one side or the other. Iraq received money, political help, and supplies from the United States, the United Kingdom, the Soviet Union, France, Italy, Yugoslavia, and most Arab countries. Iran was more on its own but got help from Syria, Libya, China, North Korea, Israel, Pakistan, and South Yemen.

Related pages

• Persian Gulf
• Gulf War

Images for kids

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  Meeting of Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, Houari Boumédiène and Saddam Hussein (left to right) during the Algiers Agreement in 1975.

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  Ruhollah Khomeini rose to power after the Iranian Revolution.

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  Location of Khuzestan Province in Iran which Iraq planned to annex

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  Iranian President Abolhassan Banisadr, who was also commander-in-chief, on a Jeep-mounted 106mm recoilless anti-tank gun. Banisadr was impeached in June 1981.

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  The Shatt al-Arab on the Iran–Iraq border

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  Destroyed Iranian C-47 Skytrain

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  Iranian F-14A Tomcats equipped with AIM-54A, AIM-7 and AIM-9 missiles.

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  Iranian president Abulhassan Banisadr on the battlefront

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  The surprise attack on H-3 airbase is considered to be one of the most sophisticated air operations of the war.

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  Iranian Northrop F-5 aircraft during the war

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  Iraqi T-62 tank wreckage in Khuzestan Province, Iran

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  Iraqi soldiers surrendering after the Liberation of Khorramshahr

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  An admonitory declaration issued from the Iraqi government in order to warn Iranian troops in the Iran–Iraq War. The statement says: "Hey Iranians! No one has been downtrodden in the country where Ali ibn Abi Ṭālib, Husayn ibn Ali and Abbas ibn Ali are buried. Iraq has undoubtedly been an honorable country. All refugees are precious. Anyone who wants to live in exile can choose Iraq freely. We, the Sons of Iraq, have been ambushing foreign aggressors. The enemies who plan to assault Iraq will be disfavoured by God in this world and the hereafter. Be careful of attacking Iraq and Ali ibn Abi Ṭālib! If you surrender, you might be in peace."

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  95,000 Iranian child soldiers were made casualties during the Iran–Iraq War, mostly between the ages of 16 and 17, with a few younger.

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  Furthest ground gains

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  Iranian POWs in 1983 near Tikrit, Iraq

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  Iranian child soldier

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  Iranian troops fire 152 mm D-20 howitzer

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  Battle of the Marshes Iran front 1983 rest after exchange of fire 152 mm D-20 H

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  Operation Earnest Will: Tanker convoy No. 12 under US Navy escort (21 October 1987)

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  A map indicating the attacks on civilian areas of Iran, Iraq, and Kuwait targeted during the "War of the Cities".

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  Iraqi commanders discussing strategy on the battlefront (1986)

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  Iranian President Ali Khamenei on the battlefront during the Iran–Iraq War

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  The People's Mujahedin of Iran, supported by Saddam, started a ten-day operation after both the Iranian and Iraqi governments accepted UN Resolution 598. Casualty estimates range from 2,000 to 10,000.

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  Adnan Khairallah, Iraqi Defense Minister, meeting with Iraqi soldiers during the war

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  IRGC navy speedboats using swarm tactics

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  An Iranian soldier wearing a gas mask during the Iran–Iraq War.

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  Iranian soldiers captured during Iraq's 1988 offensives

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  Al-Shaheed Monument in Baghdad was erected to commemorate the fallen Iraqi soldiers during the war.

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  Iranian Martyr Cemetery in Isfahan

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  Iranian Martyrs Museum in Tehran

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  An Iranian soldier's funeral in Mashhad, 2013

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  An Iraqi Mil Mi-24 on display at the military museum of Sa'dabad Palace in Iran

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  President Ronald Reagan and Vice President George H. W. Bush work in the Oval Office of the White House, 20 July 1984.

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  Stark listing following two hits by Exocet missiles.

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  Damage to a mosque in Khoramshahr, Iran, the city that was invaded by Iraq in September 1980

See also

In Spanish: Guerra entre Irán e Irak para niños