Iran-Iraq War

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Iran-Iraq War (1980–88) Conflict between Iran and Iraq when Iraq, partly in response to Iranian encouragement of revolt among the Shi'ites of s Iraq, invaded Iran, which was disorganized after the Islamic revolution of 1979. Iraq's objective was the Shatt al Arab waterway, but stiff Iranian resistance checked the Iraqi advance and forced their withdrawal (1982). The conflict bogged down in stalemate, with sporadic Iranian offensives. US-led intervention in 1987 was seen as tacit support for Iraq. A UN cease-fire resolution (1987) was accepted by Iraq and, after several Iraqi successes, by Iran also. Estimated total casualties were more than 1 million.

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