
The Iran-Iraq War and its Consequences over Time
In international law, the relationships between countries are not always friendly and without problems, and in many cases, the relationship between countries is referred to as a “hostile state”.
There are usually two solutions for resolving a hostile situation:
A) Peaceful settlement of disputes based on the principles of public international law.
b) Non-peaceful resolution and separation, commonly referred to as war.
War, due to the destructive effects it has on the overall structure of a society from all aspects, and the terrible costs it imposes on a government, is the last resort for resolving conflicts between two countries. From a logical perspective, countries try to make war their last option in order to solve their problems with the other party.
No text provided.
Enter a link for Shani
The Iran-Iraq war was not without its unpleasant consequences; a war that was the longest conventional war of the 20th century and, after the Vietnam War, the longest war in terms of duration in the same century, costing the two countries approximately 190 billion dollars.
Spending these billions of dollars on this war happened at a time when many developing countries were beginning their period of growth and prosperity, and with budgets much lower than this amount, they were able to achieve high ranks in the global system.
Examining the dimensions of the Iran-Iraq war, its consequences, costs, and problems for both countries cannot be contained in one article or a few pages. Aside from the political aspect, the destructive economic, psychological, cultural, and social effects of this war were so significant for both sides that even decades after its end, it is not possible to escape from these consequences and repercussions for the two countries.
This bitter truth is that the cost of war was a loss for both Iran and Iraq. Because during the war, huge budgets of both countries were being consumed and each side was spending billions of dollars on buying military equipment to destroy the other side. On one hand, the country’s development, education, and welfare budgets were being spent on buying war weapons and managing the war, and on the other hand, each side was trying to destroy the industrial, financial, educational, and other infrastructures of the opposing side using these weapons. This means that on one side, the budget that should have been spent on developing the country was being used to buy war weapons, and on the other hand, due to the war policies of both sides, each of the two countries, Iran and Iraq, were losing a part of what they had previously built due to attacks from the other side. This was happening at the same time as the rapid growth of countries like Turkey, South Korea, and Malaysia.
Of course, the Iran-Iraq war also affected other countries, as much as it caused damage and expenses for both sides and put the people of both countries under pressure, destruction, and economic, psychological, cultural, and educational difficulties. There were also countries that benefited from the Iran-Iraq war as a blessing and used this historical opportunity to elevate themselves. Countries like Turkey, United Arab Emirates, and South Korea were among those that positioned themselves as a bridge between Iran and other countries to supply the needs of the war and were able to progress with more ease and make the most of this war.
But the war between Iran and Iraq and its damaging effects are not limited to the time when the two countries were directly involved. In fact, the consequences of war for a country after its end are much greater than the period when it was directly engaged in war. The reason for this is that during a war, the pressure that people endure is justified by the state of war, and people have a high threshold for tolerating economic, psychological, and educational problems. But after the war, the pressures resulting from enduring the crisis of war and the decrease in people’s tolerance threshold, along with their increased expectations from the government to improve their living conditions, with the justification that they were also part of the society that was involved in the war, and the attainment of better conditions than the war period – which is the least expectation they can have – causes a flood of social expectations and demands from the government after the end of the war, which puts the government in a worse situation. All of this is happening
This process is a natural occurrence because in the event of a war, not only the reserves of a country are destroyed and the country is forced into borrowing, but also the income of a country greatly declines, which is a logical result of the destruction of economic infrastructure and resources, as well as the loss of partners and foreign markets.
Furthermore, the damages that are inflicted on non-combatants in terms of financial and physical harm, lead to a disruption of their livelihoods and, on the other hand, a generation is created that, in terms of norms and values, is significantly contradictory to the pre-war generation and even suffers from the effects of war. Researchers believe that citizens who have been directly involved in the war, whether through being present on the front lines or through close encounters with bombings and other war parameters, experience psychological and emotional stress and difficulties, the effects of which can even be passed on to future generations.
On the other hand, the costs of war do not end with its conclusion and are not limited to rebuilding the country and repaying domestic and foreign debts. They also include expenses such as clearing minefields, supporting families who have lost their breadwinner in the war, and caring for war veterans, making the list of war costs very long.
The war caused certain subcultures to form in Iranian and Iraqi society that, in terms of values, were almost reflective of instances of violence, massacre, and war as a means to achieve a goal. These subcultures, which led to the growth of religious fundamentalism in both countries, had even more devastating and destructive effects given the events that took place in Iraq after the war. These same effects had a different impact on the ruling class in Iran, leading to the growth of a certain type of political extremism within the right-wing ruling party and the formation of radical movements in the political scene of Iran.
In Iran, another unfortunate event that was caused by the war was the growth of a force that initially was semi-military, but later, with the help of the war, became a part of the war machine. This force, due to its numerous ideological and moral connections with the rulers, not only did not leave the military and political scene, but also entered the economic sphere with the support and coordination of those same rulers after the war. It became one of the political and economic players of the war and this institution is now known as the “Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps”.
Alongside this topic, we should not forget one of the most important issues that may seem small on the surface, and that is the legacy of “mines” left over from the war, which continues to claim victims from both sides. These mines, these ever-vigilant soldiers, seem to have decided to pass on to a generation of young people who are filled with memories of war, who have spent their childhoods in shelters and dark undergrounds, writing their lessons under the light of a candle and learning the alphabet from television teachers, but have now returned to their normal lives; to remind us that the war is not yet over!
Almost every day, the residents of western borders of Iran are faced with the bitter reality that the possibility of an explosion from one of the leftover mines from the eight-year war and the rekindling of their wounds is still present. Those who have suffered the most physical and financial damage from the war are now witnessing the continued victimization of this ugly legacy of the war.
According to official government statistics, there are currently sixteen million unexploded mines in Iran, which have rendered over two million hectares of the country’s land unusable and dangerous. Due to the sporadic detonation of these mines throughout the day and night, an average of 2.2 people are killed or permanently disabled every day. According to a university study, over the past six years, an average of seven thousand mine explosions have occurred annually in various border areas of Iran, with 95% of the victims being civilians and between 13% to 25% being children. The majority of mine-affected areas are located in cities and villages in five provinces: Khuzestan, Ilam, West Azerbaijan, Kurdistan, and Kermanshah, which were the front lines of the war between 1959 and 1967.
In this regard, the existence of some contaminated lands from mines has caused agricultural lands and residential areas in Khorramshahr to still be in the grip of neutral mines, despite 22 years passing since the end of the war. This has made it impossible for some villagers in Khorramshahr to return home.
Mustafa Motavarzadeh, the representative of the people of Khorramshahr in the Islamic Consultative Assembly, said in an interview with Mehr News Agency that despite 22 years passing since the end of the eight-year imposed war, there are still 18 villages in this county that are uninhabited.
Mustafa Motavarzadeh stated: “Due to the numerous operations carried out by both sides during the eight years of imposed war, many minefields and military obstacles were created in the city of Khorramshahr. After the end of the war, extensive efforts were made by Iranian combatants to neutralize the remaining mines, but some areas of this city still face the danger of unexploded mines and remain a war zone.”
With a little attention, it can be seen that the unresolved problem of landmines has not only prevented certain areas of the country from living a normal and natural life, but also constantly poses the fear of unexploded landmines causing not only financial damage, but also potential loss of life.
Therefore, the more we pay attention, the more we realize that regardless of the original intentions of both sides involved, the war and political inclinations and perspectives of different factions and groups towards this war, and disregarding its right or wrong and hidden agendas and political constructions, and the equations of major countries and their role and impact in the war between Iran and Iraq, we understand that the effects of the eight-year war, both materially and spiritually, are much greater and more destructive than what we limit it to a few specific options and examine it within the framework of eight years.
Sources:
1 – “The Victims of War and their Human Consequences,” Dr. Rahmat Sokhani, Imam Khomeini Educational and Medical Center website in Urmia, 7 Khordad 1388 (May 27, 2009).
2- The most desirable dates of the country in the hands of Min, Tabnak news website, 20 Shahrivar 1390.
Monthly magazine number 29