The Overview of Iran Iraq War

Iraq made rapid early gains, and by late 1980, Iraq appeared to have the upper hand. In the short term, Iran's lack of coordination prevented an effective defense, but the Iranian army and newly formed Revolutionary Guards fought fiercely. Between September and November, the siege of Khorramshahr turned into a brutal conflict. The Iraqis eventually captured the city, but paid a heavy price. By mid-1981, Iraq's offensive stalled, and the Iranian government began mobilizing large numbers of volunteers through the Basij militia, turning the conflict into a holy defense. In 1982, Iran launched a series of counterattacks and successfully pushed Iraqi troops out of key positions in Khuzestan, and later forced them to retreat back across the border into Iraq. From mid-1982, Iran took the offensive, carrying the war deep into Iraqi territory. The war eventually disintegrated into a bloody stalemate characterized by trench warfare and gas attacks. It devolved into a war of attrition.