Pre-War
1941: Britain and the Soviet Union dispose Reza Shah whom they considered too sympathetic to the Axis and is replaced by his son Muhammad Reza
1948: Iraq and other Arab nations start an unsuccessful war against the newly created state of Israel
1952: The Shan Muhammad Reza Pahlavi becomes worried about Prime Minister Mossaddegh's plan to nationalize Iran's oil and when Mossaddegh begins to rule by decree using powers granted to him by parliament and sought to reduce the role of the Shan to a figure head
1953: British MI-6 work with the CIA to engineer a coup to replace the government of Iran with an autocracy under the Shan
1958: Military coup over throws the Iraqi monarchy, killing Faisal II and creating the Iraqi Republic with General Abdul Karim Kassem as its leader
1961: Kurds in northern Iraq demand autonomy and revolt starting decades of conflict
1962: Khomeini gains support in Iran and fame after working to kill a bill that would allow women to vote and non-Muslims to have seats on councils
1963: Kassem is killed in another military coup led by the Ba'ath Party causing Colonel Aref to become president of Iraq and later purge the government of the Ba'ath party
Khomeini is arrested and then later released after suggesting that the Shan should be removed and criticizes his relations with America and Israel
1968: Ahmad Hasan al-Bakr overthrows the Iraqi government in a bloodless coup reestablishing the Ba'ath party's dominance over the government
1973: Iraq participates in the Arab-Israeli War and joins the oil boycott against western nations supporting Israel
1975: Fighting with Kurds in Iraq intensifies as they demand independence
1978: The Cinema Rex fire in Abadan, Iran killed over 470 people and although caused by Islamic Revolutionaries blame was put on the Shan and his secret police the SAVAK who were well known for torturing and exciting political opponents and strikes and protests paralyze the country
1979: Khomeini returns to Tehran and proclaims an Islamic Republic which is approved by a referendum for a theocratic constitution and the purge of the armed forces begins
Saddam Hussein takes power in Iraq and removes political opposition after Al-Bakr resigns
1980: Iranian supported Ad Dawah attempts to assassinate Saddam and Iraqi official resulting the the rounding up and deportation of thousands of Shia Iranians living in Iraq
Tensions increased after border skirmishes where artillery shells are exchanged
Saddam Hussein announces that Iraq is reclaiming ownership of Shatta al Arab (Arvand-Roud)
1948: Iraq and other Arab nations start an unsuccessful war against the newly created state of Israel
1952: The Shan Muhammad Reza Pahlavi becomes worried about Prime Minister Mossaddegh's plan to nationalize Iran's oil and when Mossaddegh begins to rule by decree using powers granted to him by parliament and sought to reduce the role of the Shan to a figure head
1953: British MI-6 work with the CIA to engineer a coup to replace the government of Iran with an autocracy under the Shan
1958: Military coup over throws the Iraqi monarchy, killing Faisal II and creating the Iraqi Republic with General Abdul Karim Kassem as its leader
1961: Kurds in northern Iraq demand autonomy and revolt starting decades of conflict
1962: Khomeini gains support in Iran and fame after working to kill a bill that would allow women to vote and non-Muslims to have seats on councils
1963: Kassem is killed in another military coup led by the Ba'ath Party causing Colonel Aref to become president of Iraq and later purge the government of the Ba'ath party
Khomeini is arrested and then later released after suggesting that the Shan should be removed and criticizes his relations with America and Israel
1968: Ahmad Hasan al-Bakr overthrows the Iraqi government in a bloodless coup reestablishing the Ba'ath party's dominance over the government
1973: Iraq participates in the Arab-Israeli War and joins the oil boycott against western nations supporting Israel
1975: Fighting with Kurds in Iraq intensifies as they demand independence
1978: The Cinema Rex fire in Abadan, Iran killed over 470 people and although caused by Islamic Revolutionaries blame was put on the Shan and his secret police the SAVAK who were well known for torturing and exciting political opponents and strikes and protests paralyze the country
1979: Khomeini returns to Tehran and proclaims an Islamic Republic which is approved by a referendum for a theocratic constitution and the purge of the armed forces begins
Saddam Hussein takes power in Iraq and removes political opposition after Al-Bakr resigns
1980: Iranian supported Ad Dawah attempts to assassinate Saddam and Iraqi official resulting the the rounding up and deportation of thousands of Shia Iranians living in Iraq
Tensions increased after border skirmishes where artillery shells are exchanged
Saddam Hussein announces that Iraq is reclaiming ownership of Shatta al Arab (Arvand-Roud)
1980: Iraqi Offensive
22 September: Iraq invades Iran focusing on the annexation of the Iranian province of Khūzestān encountering unorganized resistance except for a prolonged battle began in the city of Khorramshahr
30 September: Iranian Operation Scorch Sword occurs as the Iranian Air Force attacks Iraq's nuclear reactor, later repaired by French technicians
6 November: Iraq begins attacking Abadan and encounters strong resistance
10 November: Iraqi troops secure Khorramshahr after days of guerilla fighting
28 November: Iranian Operation Morvarid (Pearl) cripples the Iraqi navy and Iraq's radar stations in the south
Before the end of November 1980, 200,000 Iranians join the military to fight against Iraqi aggression made up principally of Pasdaran and Basij
30 September: Iranian Operation Scorch Sword occurs as the Iranian Air Force attacks Iraq's nuclear reactor, later repaired by French technicians
6 November: Iraq begins attacking Abadan and encounters strong resistance
10 November: Iraqi troops secure Khorramshahr after days of guerilla fighting
28 November: Iranian Operation Morvarid (Pearl) cripples the Iraqi navy and Iraq's radar stations in the south
Before the end of November 1980, 200,000 Iranians join the military to fight against Iraqi aggression made up principally of Pasdaran and Basij
Hoping to destroy the Iranian air force on the ground, Saddam ordered the Iraqi air force to strike Iranian air bases before Iran could prepare. While the attack had limited success, the Iranian response was far more rapid than Iraq had expected and special hangers preserved much of Iran's air power which struck a strong blow to Iraq in the same day. Above are some of the aircraft used during the war.
1981: Iraqi Offensive Stalls
5 January: The largest tank battle of the war, the Battle of Dezful, begins as Iran launches Operation Nasr (Victory), attempting to break through Iraqi lines, but results in a major Iraqi victory preventing a quick Iranian counterattack and end to the war
7 June: In Operation Opera Israel launches a surprise attack against a nuclear reactor under construction in Iraq killing several Iraqis and a French civilian who was there helping with the construction of the nuclear plant
September: Iraq is forced to retreat from Abadan after the Iranian Operation Samen-ol-A'emeh (Eight Imam) marking the end of the Iraqi offensive as the Iraqi army begins to dig in after Ayatollah Khomeini refuses a settlement offer from Saddam
29 November: Operation Tariq al-Qods (Jerusalem Way) Iran retakes Bostan from Iraqi forces
7 June: In Operation Opera Israel launches a surprise attack against a nuclear reactor under construction in Iraq killing several Iraqis and a French civilian who was there helping with the construction of the nuclear plant
September: Iraq is forced to retreat from Abadan after the Iranian Operation Samen-ol-A'emeh (Eight Imam) marking the end of the Iraqi offensive as the Iraqi army begins to dig in after Ayatollah Khomeini refuses a settlement offer from Saddam
29 November: Operation Tariq al-Qods (Jerusalem Way) Iran retakes Bostan from Iraqi forces
Dezful was the largest tank battle of the war. While losses were not devastating for Iran, it was much easier for Iraq to replace lost tanks giving them a distinct advantage after the battle. Here are some of the tanks which were used.
1982: Iranian Offensive
22 March: Operation Fath-ol-Mobeen (Undeniable Victory) was a major success for Iran and resulted in Iran retaking the areas around the cities Dezful and Shush and caused the removal of all Iraqi troops from Khuzestan
24 April: Operation Beit ol-Moqaddas (Jerusalem) Iran is able to recapture Khorramshahr
May: Saddam Hussein orders a retreat of all Iraqi forces from Iran believing that Khomeini will not invade Iraq and the conflict will end
July: In Operation Ramadan Iran invades Iraq for the first time inflicting heavy losses on Iraqi and taking small amounts of territory but sustaining massive losses themselves due to the use of the Basij in human wave attacks
1 November: In Operation Muharram (Sacred) Iran was able to launch a major attack against Iraq during a comparative lull in the war after the failed Operation Ramadan resulting in the destruction of a major Iraqi weapons depot consisting of over 100 tanks
24 April: Operation Beit ol-Moqaddas (Jerusalem) Iran is able to recapture Khorramshahr
May: Saddam Hussein orders a retreat of all Iraqi forces from Iran believing that Khomeini will not invade Iraq and the conflict will end
July: In Operation Ramadan Iran invades Iraq for the first time inflicting heavy losses on Iraqi and taking small amounts of territory but sustaining massive losses themselves due to the use of the Basij in human wave attacks
1 November: In Operation Muharram (Sacred) Iran was able to launch a major attack against Iraq during a comparative lull in the war after the failed Operation Ramadan resulting in the destruction of a major Iraqi weapons depot consisting of over 100 tanks
1983-1987: Tactical Stalemate and a War of Attrition
1983
6 February: In Iran's Operation Fajr al-Nasr (Dawn of Victory) used its remaining 200,000 Pasdaran troops to attack areas in the north and middle of Iraq instead of the south and was able to break through Iraqi defenses but suffered terrible losses not only in the attack but also in subsequent Iraqi helicopter and jet attacks
July 22: Iranian Operation Valfajr-2 (Dawn 2) was focused in the northern part of Iraq and saw Iranian forces supported by Kurdish Iraqis and was marked by the use of chemical weapons which would later become common place during the war
1984
Early 1984: Operation Valfarj-5 (Dawn 5) was launched by Iran and saw 500,000 Iranian Pasdaran troops attack near Basra without any armored or air support and were repulsed by the Iraqi defenses in one of the largest land battles of the war which alone claimed the lives of tens of thousands
24 February: Battle of the Marshes was started by Operation Kheibar and saw one of the major battles of 1984 with the Iranian troops able to break through extremely strong Iraqi defenses but at the same time lost an enormous amount of manpower due to Iraqi defense in depth, chemical weapons, and effective use of helicopter and required the use of the much more experienced Iranian military to win instead of relying only on Pasdaran and Basij troops
March: An Iraqi Super Etendard, loaned to Iraq from France, attacked a Greek tanker
1984 also saw increased attacks on civilians centers as Iraq and Iran began attacking each other's civilian centers with artillery and missiles
6 February: In Iran's Operation Fajr al-Nasr (Dawn of Victory) used its remaining 200,000 Pasdaran troops to attack areas in the north and middle of Iraq instead of the south and was able to break through Iraqi defenses but suffered terrible losses not only in the attack but also in subsequent Iraqi helicopter and jet attacks
July 22: Iranian Operation Valfajr-2 (Dawn 2) was focused in the northern part of Iraq and saw Iranian forces supported by Kurdish Iraqis and was marked by the use of chemical weapons which would later become common place during the war
1984
Early 1984: Operation Valfarj-5 (Dawn 5) was launched by Iran and saw 500,000 Iranian Pasdaran troops attack near Basra without any armored or air support and were repulsed by the Iraqi defenses in one of the largest land battles of the war which alone claimed the lives of tens of thousands
24 February: Battle of the Marshes was started by Operation Kheibar and saw one of the major battles of 1984 with the Iranian troops able to break through extremely strong Iraqi defenses but at the same time lost an enormous amount of manpower due to Iraqi defense in depth, chemical weapons, and effective use of helicopter and required the use of the much more experienced Iranian military to win instead of relying only on Pasdaran and Basij troops
March: An Iraqi Super Etendard, loaned to Iraq from France, attacked a Greek tanker
1984 also saw increased attacks on civilians centers as Iraq and Iran began attacking each other's civilian centers with artillery and missiles
1985
10 March: Operation Badr, Iran attempted once again to take the Basra region from Iraq and succeeded but was quickly pushed back by an Iraqi counter-attack and chemical weapons resulting in a tactical defeat
1986
11 February: Iranian Operation Valfarj-8 (Dawn 8) imitated the First Battle of al-Faw which after a costly and lengthy fight, establish Iranian control over the peninsula with Iranian forces holding out against multiple Iraqi counter-attacks in a battle which was dominated by entrenched fighting and resulted in cutting off Iraq from the Persian Gulf
1987
Tanker War: In an effort to curb imports to Iran, Iraq began to attack Iranian tankers leading to reciprocated attacks from Iran on not only Iraqi tankers but also those of Kuwait and other Gulf States leading to an increased role of the U.S. and to a lesser extent the U.S.S.R.
17 May: An Iraqi jet fired an excoert missile at the USS Stark killing 37
10 March: Operation Badr, Iran attempted once again to take the Basra region from Iraq and succeeded but was quickly pushed back by an Iraqi counter-attack and chemical weapons resulting in a tactical defeat
1986
11 February: Iranian Operation Valfarj-8 (Dawn 8) imitated the First Battle of al-Faw which after a costly and lengthy fight, establish Iranian control over the peninsula with Iranian forces holding out against multiple Iraqi counter-attacks in a battle which was dominated by entrenched fighting and resulted in cutting off Iraq from the Persian Gulf
1987
Tanker War: In an effort to curb imports to Iran, Iraq began to attack Iranian tankers leading to reciprocated attacks from Iran on not only Iraqi tankers but also those of Kuwait and other Gulf States leading to an increased role of the U.S. and to a lesser extent the U.S.S.R.
17 May: An Iraqi jet fired an excoert missile at the USS Stark killing 37
The Tanker War escalates with Iraqi using newly aquired F-1 Mirage jets and missiles to attack Iranian tankers while Iran used imported Swedish attack boats along with Seakiller Missiles from Italy and Silkworm Missiles from China to attack Iraqi tankers from al-Faw.
1988: Resumed Iraqi Offensive
23 February: Al-Anfal Campaign was the genocide of the Iraqi Kurds by the Iraqi government which killed as many as 180,000 Kurds through the extensive use of chemical weapons
Tawakalna ala Allah Operations (In God we Trust) was a series of attacks by Iraq towards the end of the war
17 April: Second Battle of al-Faw initiated by Operation Ramadan Mubarak resulted in Iraq retaking the peninsula resulting in a huge strategic victory achieved through heavy planning and extremely effective use of chemical weapons
25 May: Operation Tawakalna the First (We Rely on God) lead to the Battle of Fish Lake where Iraqi pushed back the Iranian lines with massive artillery barrage with chemical shells, not inflicting particularly heavy causalities given the context of the war, but devastating the Iranian morale and capturing supplies which were critical to Iran
25 June: Battle of Manjoon Islands proved to further boost the Iraqi attack as well prepared Iraqi forces outnumbered the Iranian defenders and took the islands in less than a day
3 July: USS Vincennes shot down Iran Air Flight 655 killing all 290 civilian passengers
12 July: Battle of al-Amareh resulted in a strategic Iraqi victory and caused the retreat of Iranian forces from Iraq in the area and was followed up by the capture of Dehloran, an Iranian city, which was scoured for military supplies and then abandoned by Iraqi forces which claimed to not want to occupy Iran
20 July: Both Iran and Iraq agree to United Nations Security Council Resolution 619 calling for a cease-fire to be established after Saddam Hussein threatens widespread use of WMDs on the Iranian population
26 July: Iraq attempts to invade Iran and secure Khuzestan with the use of chemical weapons and thus accomplish its original wartime goal but is psuhed back by a small Iranian counter-attacked in Operation Mersad (Ambush) which pushes inside of Iraq before an Iranian withdrawal from Iraq
Tawakalna ala Allah Operations (In God we Trust) was a series of attacks by Iraq towards the end of the war
17 April: Second Battle of al-Faw initiated by Operation Ramadan Mubarak resulted in Iraq retaking the peninsula resulting in a huge strategic victory achieved through heavy planning and extremely effective use of chemical weapons
25 May: Operation Tawakalna the First (We Rely on God) lead to the Battle of Fish Lake where Iraqi pushed back the Iranian lines with massive artillery barrage with chemical shells, not inflicting particularly heavy causalities given the context of the war, but devastating the Iranian morale and capturing supplies which were critical to Iran
25 June: Battle of Manjoon Islands proved to further boost the Iraqi attack as well prepared Iraqi forces outnumbered the Iranian defenders and took the islands in less than a day
3 July: USS Vincennes shot down Iran Air Flight 655 killing all 290 civilian passengers
12 July: Battle of al-Amareh resulted in a strategic Iraqi victory and caused the retreat of Iranian forces from Iraq in the area and was followed up by the capture of Dehloran, an Iranian city, which was scoured for military supplies and then abandoned by Iraqi forces which claimed to not want to occupy Iran
20 July: Both Iran and Iraq agree to United Nations Security Council Resolution 619 calling for a cease-fire to be established after Saddam Hussein threatens widespread use of WMDs on the Iranian population
26 July: Iraq attempts to invade Iran and secure Khuzestan with the use of chemical weapons and thus accomplish its original wartime goal but is psuhed back by a small Iranian counter-attacked in Operation Mersad (Ambush) which pushes inside of Iraq before an Iranian withdrawal from Iraq