For seven years, the plains and marshes around Basra became the crucible of one of the 20th century’s most devastating conflicts—the Iran–Iraq War. Characterized by brutal, bloody battles and staggering casualties. What began as a bold Iranian counter-offensive evolved into relentless attempts to breach Iraq’s fortified defenses around Basra. These offensives failed, leading to Iraq’s decisive 1988 counteroffensive that forced Iran into a reluctant peace.

But victory came at a cost. Saddam Hussein’s overreach into Kuwait just a few years later reversed Iraq’s gains and set the stage for the enduring Middle Eastern crises of today. Intriguingly, the technological seeds of modern drone warfare—for example the technology used against Israel and Ukraine—can be traced back to this war.

Drawing on newly available sources from both Iran and Iraq, alongside declassified CIA reports, this book offers a balanced and comprehensive account of the Iran–Iraq War. With vivid narratives of the battles, strategic insights, and exploration of its far-reaching consequences, this is a definitive chronicle of a war that reshaped the Middle East and the art of warfare itself.