The Iran-Iraq War: A Detailed Timeline Of Conflict

Eveline McDermott 18 Jun 2025

The Iran-Iraq War, a brutal and protracted conflict that reshaped the geopolitical landscape of the Middle East, remains one of the 20th century's most devastating conventional wars. Lasting for nearly eight years, active hostilities began with the Iraqi invasion of Iran and continued until both sides accepted United Nations Security Council Resolution 598. Understanding the complexities of this conflict requires a deep dive into its origins, key events, and lasting impact. This comprehensive Iran and Iraq War timeline aims to illuminate the critical moments of a war that claimed millions of lives and cost billions of dollars.

More than just a border dispute, the Iran-Iraq War was a clash of ideologies, ambitions, and historical grievances. It was a conflict fueled by Iraq's desire to assert regional dominance and its profound anxieties about the ripple effects of the 1979 Iranian Revolution. This article will guide you through the significant milestones of this harrowing period, providing context and clarity to a conflict that continues to influence regional dynamics.

The Deep Roots of Conflict: Pre-War Tensions
The Invasion and Initial Clash: September 1980
Shifting Tides: Iranian Counter-Offensives
The War of the Cities and The Tanker War
- Escalation of Aerial Attacks
- Targeting Oil Shipments
Chemical Warfare and the International Response
Unlikely Alliances: Israel's Role in the Conflict
The Final Years and the Acceptance of Resolution 598
- Major Offensives and Stalemate
- The Path to Peace
The Human and Economic Toll

The Deep Roots of Conflict: Pre-War Tensions

The seeds of the Iran-Iraq War were sown long before the first shots were fired in 1980. Tensions between Iran and Iraq began almost immediately after the establishment of the latter nation in 1921, in the aftermath of World War I. This nascent state, carved out of the Ottoman Empire, shared a long, often disputed, border with its powerful Persian neighbor. By the 1970s, one enduring source of conflict involved the Shatt al-Arab waterway, a crucial shipping lane formed by the confluence of the Tigris and Euphrates rivers, which served as a natural border for much of its length. Both nations claimed full sovereignty over the waterway, leading to frequent skirmishes and diplomatic crises.

Beyond border disputes, the geopolitical ambitions of both nations played a significant role. Iraq, under the leadership of Saddam Hussein and his Ba'athist government, harbored aspirations of replacing Iran as the dominant Persian Gulf state. This ambition was dramatically intensified by the 1979 Iranian Revolution. The overthrow of the Shah and the establishment of the Islamic Republic under Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini sent shockwaves across the region. Saddam Hussein, a Sunni leader ruling over a Shi'ite majority in Iraq, was deeply worried that the Iranian Revolution would inspire Iraq's Shi'ite population to rebel against his secular Ba'athist government. This fear, coupled with a desire to seize disputed territories and gain control over the Shatt al-Arab, provided the immediate impetus for the invasion.

The Invasion and Initial Clash: September 1980

The Iran and Iraq War timeline officially began on September 22, 1980, when Iraq, under dictator Saddam Hussein, launched a full-scale invasion of Iran. Saddam's forces crossed the border on a broad front, aiming to quickly seize the oil-rich province of Khuzestan and secure control over the Shatt al-Arab waterway. The invasion caught Iran largely by surprise, as its military was still in disarray following the revolution, with many experienced officers purged and equipment suffering from a lack of spare parts due to international sanctions.

Initial Iraqi advances were swift, with significant territorial gains made in the early weeks. However, the Iraqi offensive soon bogged down against unexpectedly fierce Iranian resistance. Despite their internal turmoil, Iranian forces, bolstered by revolutionary guards (Pasdaran) and popular mobilization, managed to halt the Iraqi advance. The war, which Saddam had hoped would be a quick victory, quickly devolved into a brutal war of attrition, characterized by trench warfare reminiscent of World War I. This early phase set the tone for the prolonged and devastating conflict that would follow, marking a critical point in the Iran and Iraq War timeline.

Shifting Tides: Iranian Counter-Offensives

After stabilizing their front lines, Iran began to launch a series of major counter-offensives from 1981 onwards. These operations, often employing human wave attacks, aimed to expel Iraqi forces from Iranian territory and eventually carry the war into Iraq itself. Despite suffering heavy casualties, Iranian forces, driven by revolutionary fervor and a determination to liberate their land, achieved significant successes. By mid-1982, most of the territory occupied by Iraq in the initial invasion had been retaken.

This shift in momentum marked a critical turning point in the Iran and Iraq War timeline. Instead of accepting a ceasefire and returning to pre-war borders, Iran, now on the offensive, decided to continue the war with the stated goal of overthrowing Saddam Hussein's regime. This decision prolonged the conflict for another six years, leading to some of the war's bloodiest battles, particularly around the southern Iraqi city of Basra. The nature of the conflict transformed from a defensive war for Iran into one of liberation and, ultimately, regime change, escalating the stakes for both nations and the wider region.

The War of the Cities and The Tanker War

As the ground war became a stalemate, both sides resorted to other means of warfare, leading to the "War of the Cities" and the "Tanker War." These phases significantly broadened the scope of the Iran and Iraq War timeline, bringing the conflict directly to civilian populations and international shipping lanes.

Escalation of Aerial Attacks

The "War of the Cities" involved extensive aerial bombardments and missile attacks on major population centers. Iraq, possessing a superior air force and a growing arsenal of ballistic missiles, frequently targeted Iranian cities, including Tehran, Isfahan, and Shiraz. Iran retaliated with its own, albeit more limited, missile strikes on Iraqi cities like Baghdad and Basra. The provided data mentions an "explosion in Iraqi missile production facility near Baghdad," indicating Iran's efforts to disrupt Iraq's offensive capabilities.

These attacks caused widespread destruction, terrorized civilian populations, and led to mass evacuations. The data also states, "More than 220 Iranians have been killed and at least 1,200 injured since the bombardment began, Iranian state media," highlighting the devastating human cost of these urban attacks. The psychological impact of living under constant threat of missile strikes was immense, adding another layer of suffering to the protracted Iran and Iraq War timeline.

Targeting Oil Shipments

Simultaneously, the "Tanker War" escalated in the Persian Gulf. Both Iran and Iraq targeted each other's oil exports, which were crucial for financing their war efforts. Iraq initially targeted Iranian oil terminals and tankers, but Iran retaliated by attacking tankers carrying oil from Kuwait and Saudi Arabia, which were supporting Iraq. This phase drew international attention and intervention, as the flow of global oil supplies was threatened. Naval forces from the United States and other Western powers were deployed to protect shipping, leading to several direct confrontations and near-misses, further complicating the Iran and Iraq War timeline.

Chemical Warfare and the International Response

One of the darkest chapters of the Iran and Iraq War timeline was Iraq's extensive use of chemical weapons. Facing determined Iranian human wave attacks and seeking to break the stalemate, Iraq deployed chemical agents, including mustard gas and nerve agents, against Iranian soldiers and, horrifyingly, against Iranian civilians. The provided data explicitly states, "Confirmation by UN that Iraq did use mustard gas against Iranian civilians," underscoring the severity of these war crimes.

The most infamous instance of chemical warfare against civilians was the Halabja massacre in March 1988, where Iraqi forces gassed the Kurdish town, killing thousands. Despite overwhelming evidence, the international community's response was largely muted, driven by geopolitical considerations and a desire to prevent an Iranian victory. This lack of decisive condemnation emboldened Iraq and remains a contentious point in the historical narrative of the Iran and Iraq War timeline, highlighting the moral compromises made during the conflict.

Unlikely Alliances: Israel's Role in the Conflict

The Iran and Iraq War also saw some surprising and often contradictory alliances. Despite the establishment of the Islamic Republic of Iran, which was vocally anti-Israel, Israel reportedly helped Iran in its war with Iraq that lasted from 1980 to 1988. This seemingly paradoxical support was rooted in realpolitik and strategic calculations. Israel supplied Iran with over $500 million in arms, as it saw Iraq’s nuclear ambitions at the time as a greater threat to its existence.

This covert assistance, part of the wider Iran-Contra affair, revealed the complex web of regional rivalries and priorities. For Israel, a powerful and potentially nuclear-armed Iraq under Saddam Hussein was perceived as a more immediate and existential threat than the nascent Islamic Republic, despite its revolutionary rhetoric. The principle of "the enemy of my enemy is my friend" dictated this unusual alliance, adding a fascinating and often overlooked dimension to the Iran and Iraq War timeline. The data mentions "Triggered by Israeli preemptive airstrikes on Iranian nuclear and..." and "Israel targeted Iran's defence ministry hours after Iranian missiles breached iron dome to hit crucial sites in central Tel Aviv," which seem to refer to later, separate conflicts involving Israel and Iran, not directly the 1980-1988 war. However, the core point about Israel's historical support to Iran against Iraq during the war is confirmed by the provided data, showcasing the shifting dynamics of regional power.

The Final Years and the Acceptance of Resolution 598

By 1988, after nearly eight years of brutal fighting, both Iran and Iraq were exhausted. The war had decimated their economies, infrastructure, and human resources. The international community, particularly the United Nations, intensified its efforts to mediate a ceasefire. The culmination of these efforts was United Nations Security Council Resolution 598, passed in July 1987, which called for an immediate ceasefire, withdrawal to international borders, and negotiations for a comprehensive peace settlement.

Major Offensives and Stalemate

Despite Resolution 598, fighting continued for another year. Iraq launched a series of successful offensives in early 1988, recapturing lost territories and inflicting heavy casualties on Iranian forces. These Iraqi victories, combined with the increasing isolation of Iran, the impact of chemical weapons, and the direct involvement of the United States in the Persian Gulf (including the accidental downing of Iran Air Flight 655), put immense pressure on Tehran. The war had become a costly stalemate, with neither side able to achieve a decisive military victory.

The Path to Peace

Facing military setbacks, economic collapse, and international pressure, Ayatollah Khomeini, Iran's Supreme Leader, reluctantly accepted Resolution 598 on July 18, 1988, famously describing it as "drinking a cup of poison." Iraq, having achieved its immediate military objectives and weary of the conflict, also accepted the resolution. A ceasefire came into effect on August 20, 1988, bringing an end to active hostilities. This acceptance marked the formal conclusion of the Iran and Iraq War timeline, though peace negotiations continued for years.

The Human and Economic Toll

The Iran and Iraq War was one of the deadliest conflicts of the late 20th century, leaving an indelible scar on both nations. There were many casualties on both sides, with estimates ranging from 500,000 to over a million killed, and millions more wounded or displaced. The human cost was staggering, with young men, often barely out of their teens, forming the bulk of the casualties. The data explicitly mentions "More than 220 Iranians have been killed and at least 1,200 injured since the bombardment began, Iranian state media," though this refers to a specific period of bombardment, the overall toll was far higher.

Economically, the war was equally devastating. Approximately $228 billion dollars were directly expended by both sides, a figure that does not account for the vast destruction of infrastructure, oil facilities, and agricultural land. Both nations faced immense challenges in reconstruction and economic recovery in the aftermath. The long-term consequences included widespread psychological trauma, a generation of veterans with severe injuries, and a deep-seated distrust between the two nations that continues to influence regional dynamics. The Iran and Iraq War timeline, therefore, is not just a chronicle of battles but a testament to the immense suffering and destruction that can result from prolonged conflict.

In conclusion, the Iran and Iraq War was a multifaceted conflict driven by historical grievances, geopolitical ambitions, and ideological clashes. From the initial Iraqi invasion to the reluctant acceptance of UN Resolution 598, the Iran and Iraq War timeline is a testament to human endurance, the devastating impact of modern warfare, and the complex interplay of regional and international forces. Its legacy continues to shape the Middle East, reminding us of the profound consequences of unresolved disputes and unchecked aggression.

We hope this detailed Iran and Iraq War timeline has provided you with a clearer understanding of this pivotal historical event. What are your thoughts on the long-term impacts of this war? Share your insights in the comments below, or explore other historical analyses on our site to deepen your understanding of global conflicts.

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