Middle East 621
kilometers of Iranian territory. Iran wanted Saddam Hussein ousted, so it continued
fighting, but their forces were bogged down trying to cut Basra off. In 1983 Iran
began to use human waves to attack Iraq, and Iraq used mustard gas against Iranian
troops. In 1984, both sides started targeting oil tankers in the Persian Gulf both to cut
off supplies to the other state and also affect the other’s economy. In February 1986
Iran captured al-Faw and held it for two years. Iran lost the territory it had gained by
the summer. On July 20, 1988, Iran and Iraq accepted a ceasefire as demanded by
UN Resolution 598. The ceasefire went into effect on August 20. More than 500,000
soldiers died in the conflict.
Coding changes: Start Date changed from August 27, 1980.
MID#2113
Dispute Number: 2113
Date(s): June 4, 1979 to June 14, 1979
Participants: 645 Iraq/630 Iran
Outcome (and Settlement): Unclear (None)
Fatalities: None
Narrative: The fall of the Shah of Iran in early 1979 caused a resurgence in nation-
alistic fervor in the Kurdish area of the country. Kurdistan lies right on top of the
borders of Northern Iraq, Southern Turkey, and Western Iran. The disintegration of
the Iranian army caused an Iranian military withdrawal of the Kurdish areas on the
border of Iran and Iraq, allowing Kurdish dissidents in Iraq to cross the border into
Iran for rest and supplies. On February 23, 1979, an Iranian radio message warned
the Kurds not to attack border posts near Iraq because the troops had been ordered
to shoot back. On April 20, a pact was signed between Iraq and Turkey to crush the
Kurdish uprising on the Iranian border. On June 5, Kurdish leaders believed that Iraqi
planes might have bombed Iranian villages accidentally while attempting to attack
Kurds on the borderland. On June 14, two Iraqi jets strafed three border villages on
the western Ilam province, the bombing coincided with ground fire on Iranian frontier
guards in the same area from across the border by Iraqi patrols. This was the second
time in 11 days. Iran warned the Iraqi government that future incidents would force
Tehran to make “serious decisions.”
Coding changes: Start Date changed from February 27, 1979. End Date changed
from June 19, 1979.
MID#3914
Dispute Number: 3914
Date(s): February 18, 1989 to March 14, 1989
Participants: 645 Iraq/630 Iran
Outcome (and Settlement): Unclear (None)
Fatalities: 1–25 deaths
Narrative: On March 13, 1989, Iraqi forces shelled three Iranian held positions near
the southern border, violating the ceasefire agreement. Another exchange occurred the