The outbreak of war followed 3 weeks of skirmishes on the two country's border.

In the opening phase of the war, Iraq bombed a number of targets including Tehran's international airport.

Hostilities began after Iraq decided to ignore a 1975 border agreement with Iran over sovereignty of the Shatt al-Arab waterway. The southern end of this river is part of the border between the two countries and is a supply line for oil to the West. It seems that president of Iraq, Saddam Hussein, was attempting to take advantage of the instability in Iran to pursue his political aims.

The war would only end in 1988 when Iran agreed to a cease-fire.