This conflict, which spanned from **September 1980 to August 1988**, was a prolonged armed struggle between the two nations. Here's a concise overview:
1. **Manpower**:
- **Iran**:
- **Start of War**:
- Soldiers: 200,000–210,000
- Tanks: 1,750–2,800
- Armored Vehicles: 2,350–4,000
- Artillery Pieces: 1,350–1,400
- Fighter-Bombers: 295–380
- Helicopters: 300–350
- **1982**:
- Soldiers: 175,000
- Tanks: 1,200
- Armored Vehicles: 2,300
- Artillery Pieces: 400
- Aircraft: 450
- Helicopters: 180
- **1988**:
- Soldiers: 800,000–1,500,000
- Tanks: 3,400–5,000
- APCs: 4,500–10,000
- Artillery Pieces: 2,300–12,000
- Fighter-Bombers: 360–900
- Helicopters: 140–1,000
- **Iraq**:
- **Start of War**:
- Soldiers: 110,000–215,000
- Tanks: 1,700–2,100 (500–1,150 operable)
- Armored Vehicles: 1,000–1,900 (1,300 operable)
- Artillery Pieces: 300–1,100
- Fighter-Bombers: 421–485 (200–205 fully operational)
- Helicopters: 750–835 (240 fully operational)
- **1982**:
- Soldiers: 350,000
- Tanks: 700
- Armored Vehicles: 2,700
- Artillery Pieces: 400
- Aircraft: 350
- Helicopters: 700
- **1988**:
- Soldiers: 600,000–850,000
- Tanks: 1,500+
- APCs: 800–1,400
- Artillery Pieces: 600–900
- Fighter-Bombers: 60–80
- Helicopters: 70–90
**Weaponry and Support**:
- While **Iran** had a numerical advantage, **Iraq** possessed more sophisticated weaponry and a better-trained officer corps, thanks to support from Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, and other Arab states, as well as tacit support from Western nations including the United States ¹².
**Casualties and Legacy**:
- The war resulted in immense human suffering. Both sides suffered heavy casualties, with estimates ranging from **one million to twice that number**. Hundreds of thousands were wounded or reported missing. Neither nation officially declared victory, and the armies ended up in the same positions where they started ⁴⁵.
**Current Dynamics**:
- Today, the legacy of the Iran-Iraq War still reverberates. Iranian-backed militias, on the Iraqi payroll, outnumber the Iraqi Army. The Ministry of Defense includes officers designated as terrorists. Iranian-aligned militias control key posts in lucrative ministries ³.
This historical conflict shaped the region and left a lasting impact on both nations.
![](https://s2.save4k.ru/pic/41-D1hUOcEU/maxresdefault.jpg)