| How did the historical rivalry between Arabs and Persians contribute to the tensions leading to the Iran-Iraq War? | The deep-seated ethnic and religious differences between Arabs (Iraq) and Persians (Iran), along with Sunni-Shia tensions, created a foundation of distrust and animosity that intensified the conflict. |
| What role did the territorial dispute over the Shatt al-Arab waterway play in the lead-up to the war? | The Shatt al-Arab waterway was a key point of contention, with both Iraq and Iran claiming control over it due to its strategic importance for oil exports and regional influence. |
| How did the colonial legacy of post-WWI borders contribute to the territorial disputes between Iran and Iraq? | The borders drawn by the British and French during the colonial era did not account for ethnic divisions and local claims, particularly over regions like Khuzestan, where there was significant Arab and Persian population overlap. |
| How did the rise of nationalism in Iraq, particularly under the Ba'ath Party, contribute to tensions with Iran? | Iraqi nationalism, with its focus on Arab unity and opposition to Persian domination, led to competition with Iran, especially as the Shah of Iran sought to assert Persian dominance in the Gulf. |
| How did the Shah of Iran's ambitions in the Gulf region affect Iraq's foreign policy? | Iran’s push for dominance in the Gulf, under the Shah, was perceived as a direct threat by Iraq, particularly as Iran sought to expand its influence, leading to a power struggle between the two nations. |
| What impact did the Islamic Revolution of 1979 have on Iraq's relationship with Iran? | The overthrow of the Shah and the rise of Ayatollah Khomeini’s theocratic regime alarmed Iraq, especially with Khomeini's call for the export of Islamic revolution, which posed a threat to Iraq’s secular Ba'athist government. |
| How did Saddam Hussein's ambitions for regional dominance influence his decision to invade Iran in 1980? | Saddam saw an opportunity to assert Iraq’s dominance in the Gulf, reclaim disputed territories like Khuzestan, and challenge Iran’s newfound theocratic leadership, positioning Iraq as a key regional power. |
| What was the significance of the Algiers Agreement (1975) and how did its revocation by Saddam Hussein contribute to the outbreak of the war? | The Algiers Agreement, in which Iraq ceded claims to the Shatt al-Arab, was a point of resentment for Saddam. By revoking it in 1980, Saddam signaled Iraq’s intent to reclaim disputed territories, escalating tensions with Iran. |
| How did the ethnic unrest in Khuzestan contribute to the rising tensions between Iran and Iraq in the lead-up to the war? | Iraq supported Arab separatists in Khuzestan, which not only exacerbated tensions between the two countries but also fueled Iranian concerns about Iraq's territorial ambitions and interference in Iran’s internal affairs. |
| What were the immediate triggers for the Iraqi invasion of Iran on September 22, 1980? | The invasion was triggered by escalating border clashes, accusations of Iranian involvement in an assassination attempt on an Iraqi official, and Saddam’s decision to revoke the Algiers Agreement, leading to a full-scale attack on Iran, particularly targeting the oil-rich Khuzestan region. |
| What were the main sources of conflict between Iran and Iraq after the establishment of Iraq in 1921? | The tensions between Iran and Iraq stemmed from territorial disputes, particularly over the Shatt al-Arab waterway, as well as ethnic and religious differences between the two nations. |
| How did the United Kingdom's withdrawal from the Persian Gulf in the late 1960s affect the geopolitical landscape in the region? | The UK’s withdrawal created a power vacuum, leading to increased regional instability and competition for control over critical resources, such as oil, in the Persian Gulf. |
| What role did the Shatt al-Arab waterway play in the tensions between Iraq and Iran? | The Shatt al-Arab waterway, which forms the border between Iraq and Iran, was a crucial route for oil exports. Control over it was central to both nations’ economic and strategic interests, contributing to long-standing territorial disputes. |
| How did the Algiers Agreement of 1975 impact Iraq's territorial ambitions and relations with Iran? | The Algiers Agreement reduced Iraqi control over the Shatt al-Arab in exchange for Iran halting its support for Kurdish insurgents in Iraq, which led to resentment in Iraq, particularly under Saddam Hussein. |
| Why did Saddam Hussein see war with Iran as an opportunity to gain valuable territory? | Saddam viewed control over the Shatt al-Arab and the oil-rich Khuzestan province as a way to increase Iraq’s oil exports and wealth, giving Iraq a more significant role as an oil exporter in the Middle East. |
| What was the significance of the Khuzestan province in the Iran-Iraq War? | Khuzestan, with its oil fields and refinery at Ābādān, was a key strategic region. Its oil production contributed heavily to Iran's economy, and Saddam sought to control it to boost Iraq's oil wealth and reduce Iran's dominance in the oil market. |
| How did Ayatollah Khomeini's call for Iraqis to rise up against Saddam Hussein influence the tensions between Iran and Iraq? | Khomeini’s call for an Islamic revolution and the overthrow of Saddam Hussein exacerbated sectarian tensions, as Iraq’s Shi’ite majority was encouraged to challenge Saddam’s Sunni-led government, further inflaming hostilities. |
| What role did the assassination attempt on Iraqi Deputy Prime Minister Tariq Aziz in April 1980 play in escalating tensions between Iraq and Iran? | The assassination attempt, believed to have been orchestrated by Iraqi Shi’ites sympathetic to the Iranian Revolution, was a direct challenge to Saddam’s regime and confirmed his fears of Iranian influence within Iraq, further pushing Iraq towards war. |
