Iran–Iraq War

1980-09-22 - 1988-08-20

Iraq under Saddam Hussein invaded Iran in September 1980, beginning an eight-year war driven by border disputes, Iraqi fears of Iran exporting its revolution, and ambitions for regional dominance. The fighting, which included trench warfare and chemical weapons use, killed around 500,000 people. Both sides accepted a UN-brokered ceasefire that took effect in August 1988, with borders essentially unchanged.