How Iran started the Iran-Iraq War
The story of how the longest war in 20th century could have ended in a few days.
Including a rare confession from an Iranian official
🧵A Thread
Upon Khomeini's arrival to power, Iraq was one of the first countries to congratulate Iran in a telegram sent 5th April 1979 to Iran.
Khomeini and the Iranian media was incitive against Iraq, which resulted in huge protest calling for the "Islamic Revolution on Iraq"
The Iraqi Embassy and consulates in Iran was subject to numerous attacks from these mobs.
June 1979
Iraq tried to keep it's head cool
Saddam Hussein took the chance of a summit in Havana to have talks with Ebrahim Yazdi, the first foreign minister to Iran post-Shah on the sidelines.
Saddam is seen here with him and congratulating Iran again in July 1979.
Iran however resumed support for Separatist Kurds in Iraq, which resulted in a open critique by Saddam Hussein at the time.
He warned that Khomeini's action would serve the imperialist powers.
January, 1980
Khomeini responded to the speech and said Arab Unity is against Islam.
January 1980
Iranian agents under the Dawa Party conducted numerous terrorist attacks in Iraq that took the lives of hundreds of civilians.
April 1980
Tariq Aziz, Deputy Prime Minister of Iraq was subjected to a hand grenade assassination attempt in Mustansriya University, which instead took the lives of innocent students.
By the end of the month, Iran managed to kill 20 Iraqi officials.
Then Khomeini called for the Iraqi people to revolt and started to recruit for "Jondi El-Imam" an army whom's purpose was to 'Liberate Iraq'.
A blantant case of interference in Iraqi internal affairs.
Iran throughout this border continuned with numerous border violations. Over 500 of such provocations.
On the 4th September 1980, Iran for the first time shelled populated cities such as Khanaqin, Mendeli with 175mm U.S. made artillery shells.
Iran subsequently repeated the same shelling on the 7th September 1980.
Iraq sent in a note on the 10th September 1980 reminding Iran once again to withdraw from areas it has recognized as Iraqi under the Algiers Agreement and cease shelling.
Iran however declined and instead the Iranian Chief of Staff General Fallahi on the 14th September said his country would not honor the Algiers Agreement.
This statement was repeated by Iranian President Bani Sadr.
Iran further closed off the Shatt Al Arab to Iraq on the 16th September 1980, effectively imposing an economical blockade on Iraq's only outlet to the Gulf.
Iraq recirpoated and considered the agreement cancelled aswell from it's side on the 17th September 1980.
On the 21st September, Iran used heavy artiliery fire to impose it's blockade of Iraq
Iraq having done everything possible to solve this by peaceful manners decided to use it's military to force Iran to talks.
Iraq quickly declared it had no terrortial ambitions inside Iran.
3.October 1980
Iran's first foreign minister Ebrahim Yazdi after the Shah, admitted that Khomeini attempted to provoke a war.
UN Resolution 479 was issued on the 28. September 1980 which called for an immediate end to the conflict.
Iraq immediately accepted the resolution, but Khomeini refused to accept it.
Iranian Brigadier General Masoud Bakhtiari confirms Iraq's offer of a ceasefire
The Iraqi ceasefire was unconditional and Iraq agreed to withdraw from any Iranian terrority it may had seized.
Ali Akbar Velyati, Iran's Foreign Minister says the contination of the war doubled the land held by Iraq.
Khomeini however made it clear, that there would be no peace with Iraq because the Iraqis are not Muslim.
A month after the war started, Former Israeli Intelligence Officer Aharon Yariv declared that an Iraqi Victory was not in the interest of Israel.
This was the begining of Israel supplying Iran with weapons.
Israel sold Iran weapons and brokered numerous weapons deals on behalf of Iran.
The total sum of Iran's weapons purchases from this was 82 Billion USD.
Iraq accepted UN resolution 598 in 1987,
Iran refused to accept UN Res 598 until 1988 when it was defeated military.
Iran remained rejecting all ceasefires option until it was defeated military. A tragic war imposed on the Iraqi and Iranian people by Khomeini,USA, Israel.
Full list of Iranian Air Space Violations between June-September 1980 listing over 69 incidients of aerial attacks, bombardements or illegal entry of Iraqi Airspace.
Full list of Iranian ground violations between June-September 1980 totaling 103 violations
Iranian Ground Violations between June-Sep 1980 #2
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