620 Chapter 5
1974, Iraq complained to the UN Security Council about the border violations, but
little was done to settle the situation.
In the spring of 1974, the Kurdish minority in Iraq’s northern region began intensi-
fying its rebel activities, and by September 1974, it was common knowledge that Iran
was supplying the Kurdish rebels with arms and logistical support. The Iranians were
supplying the Kurdish rebels, who faced an Iraqi army more than twice their number,
with Israeli and American weapons that greatly increased their effectiveness against
the Iraqi army. In addition to the Kurdish rebellion, the Iraqi army was also facing
border clashes with Iran’s military that were renewed in August 1974 after a negoti-
ated agreement ended other frontier disputes in March 1974. The border disputes
began again in December 1974 with increased airspace violations, and other border
violations were reported by both countries in early February 1975.
The conflicts quickly drained Iraq’s resources, and they were forced to seek an
agreement that would stop Iran from supporting the Kurdish forces. In March 1975,
Iraq and Iran agreed to border settlements defined in the Algiers Accords. The agree-
ment is described as “humiliating” for Iraq, as it required a number of concessions
on Iraq’s part that highlighted its military and geopolitical weakness in the region.
The embarrassment surrounding Iraq’s imposed settlement may have contributed to
the Iran-Iraq War of 1980. While the border adjustments in the Algiers Accords were
relatively small, the historical nature of the border dispute and the geopolitical rami-
fications of the settlement made the issue particularly important for both disputants.
Coding changes: Start Date changed from January 24, 1974. End Date changed from
May 21, 1974. Outcome changed from Unclear. Settlement changed from None.
MID#2115
Dispute Number: 2115
Date(s): April 19, 1979 to August 20, 1988
Participants: 645 Iraq/630 Iran
Outcome (and Settlement): Yield by side A (Negotiated)
Fatalities: >999 deaths
Narrative: Iran and Iraq returned to Cold War relations after the fall of the Shah in
Iran. While Iraq initially tried to make friendly diplomatic gestures toward the new
regime, relations between the two states quickly deteriorated in the spring of 1979.
Both governments accused the other of 500–600 territorial violations between Febru-
ary 1979 and September 1980, and a war of words erupted between both sides shortly
after the establishment of the Islamic Republic in Iran. Iraq was providing substantial
arms to Arab rebels inside Iran who were fighting the Revolutionary Guard. Border
clashes intensified in early 1980.
The war was fought over contested territory, specifically the Shatt al-Arab and
Khuzestan bounded by the Khorramshahr-Ahvaz-Susangerd-Messian line. On Sep-
tember 22, 1980, Iraq invaded Iran, and Iran bombed Iraqi air bases the next day.
The United Nations offered its first resolution calling for a ceasefire on September
28 (479). However, Iraqi forces gained momentum and pushed forward. Iraq forti-
fied the Iranian city of Khorramshahr, but by June 9, 1982, Iran had seized control.
Iraq subsequently implemented a unilateral ceasefire and withdrew from 5,500 square