I recently read a book based in the context of the Iranian revolution, but I didn’t quite understand the parts where it dicusses the Iran/Iraq war. Upon looking at videos, it seems like a very long and complex conflict. What are the main ideas that make it easier to understand?
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Extremely simplified version. Iraq attacked Iran and took a big chunk of territory in the first month, then Iran retook most of it over the next 2 years. Then it was pretty much a stalemate for the next 6 years with both countries taking and losing small area of land to each other. The War was costly and long for both countries so eventually they agree to sign peace and get back to the pre-war border.
Why did Iraq invade Iran? There was several reasons, some were more excuses, or public justification than others. In no particular order :
1) The southern border region between Iran and Iraq have been a subject of conflict and war for a long time. The South of Iraq is Shiite just like the majority of Iran, while the South of Iran is populated by Arab just like Iraq. So there was always dispute between the two countries on who controlled that Shiite Arab region.
2) Oil. There is a lot of oil in that Shiite Arab region and both countries want that oil. The Iraqi occupied most of the oil field in the region at the start of the war.
3) The Iranian Revolution was viewed as dangerous by Saddam Hussein as a theocratic government could try to exploit the religious division in the country (Iraq have a Sunnite North and a Shiite South). A religious revolution taking control of Iran is something that could also happen in Iraq.
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