Throughout the Iran-Iraq War, the Persian Gulf served as a major theater for numerous military operations involving Iran, Iraq, and other international powers.

The Persian Gulf is a strategic waterway in Western Asia, positioned between Iran and the Arabian Peninsula, covering an area of 2,226 square kilometers with an average depth ranging from 25 to 35 meters. Important rivers, including the Karun, Arvand, and Karkheh, flow into its basin. The Iranian provinces of Hormozgan, Bushehr, and Khuzestan line its northern coast, which is characterized by a hot and humid climate.⁠[1] Iran holds the longest coastline, spanning 1,400 kilometers to the north, while Iraq and Kuwait lie to the northwest, Saudi Arabia to the west, Bahrain and Qatar to the southwest, the United Arab Emirates to the south, and Oman to the southeast. The most vital Iranian ports in the region include Bandar Abbas, Bandar Lengeh, Bandar-e Bushehr, Bandar-e Imam Khomeini (ra), and Khorramshahr.⁠[2]

The name of this international waterway has been documented as the “ Persian Gulf” since antiquity, appearing even in ancient inscriptions. However, in recent years, the enemies of Iran— driven by Western influence and supported by the financial and political backing of certain regional sheikhdoms— have tried to use a fabricated name for this body of water. In response, historians, scholars of Iranian and world history, and patriotic Iranians have actively sought to counter this historical distortion. Due to the waterway’ s strategic importance, piracy was once prevalent in the region. However, certain freedom fighters and opponents of colonial occupation rose against foreign invaders; while colonial historical records often label them as pirates, they were, in fact, resistance figures. Mir Mohanna Dooghabi is an example of such anti-colonial activists, whose struggle against Dutch occupiers led to him being branded a pirate by foreign powers.⁠[3]

The Portuguese entered the Persian Gulf in 1507 and occupied Hormuz Island;⁠[4] however, they were eventually expelled in 1622 through the efforts of Imam-Quli Khan, the Safavid military commander.⁠[5] In addition to the Portuguese, other powers maintained a presence in the region: the Dutch from 1623, the French from 1664, the Germans from 1895, and the Russians from 1904. Yet, the British preceded most of these powers through the East India Company, establishing a presence parallel to the Portuguese as early as the 1580s.⁠[6] This British involvement eventually led to the occupation of Bushehr and Kharq. The people of Bushehr— led by Mirza Asadullah Khan during the occupation of Kharg and by Rais Ali Delvari during the occupation of Bushehr— rose up in a resistance that has become a lasting epic in Iranian history.

The importance of this waterway is underscored by its vast fossil fuel reserves— holding two-thirds of the world’ s oil and one-third of its gas⁠[7]— as well as its role as a maritime link connecting Europe, Africa, South and Southeast Asia, and linking the Red Sea and the Mediterranean to the Indian and Atlantic Oceans.⁠[8]

Furthermore, Greater Tunb helps control access to the Persian Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz, Lesser Tunb extends Iran’ s maritime boundaries, and Abu Musa Island functions as the final link in the defensive arc of the Strait of Hormuz. Taken together, they highlight the strategic importance of this waterway.⁠[9]

The Persian Gulf contains seven key islands: Qeshm, the largest island; Hormuz, the possession of which was historically seen as the key to ruling the Persian Gulf; Larak, known as the defensive shield of the Persian Gulf, where shallow waters and surrounding reefs prevent large vessels from approaching; Hengam, the primary key to the Gate of Hormuz, suitable for maritime vessels due to its great depth; and the Greater Tunb, Lesser Tunb, and Abu Musa.⁠[10] Other Iranian islands include Abadan, Buneh, Deireh, Qabr-e Nakhoda, Minu, Kharg, Shif, Sirri, Shetvar, Sheikh Andarabi, Farur, Farurgan, Kish, Lavan, and Hendurabi.⁠[11]

The Persian Gulf is connected to the Sea of Oman and the high seas via the Strait of Hormuz. This crescent-shaped strait lies between Iran to the north and Oman to the south⁠[12] and is ranked among the eleven most critical straits in the world.⁠[13] With its many military bases, the Persian Gulf holds distinctive strategic and military importance, a fact made even clearer during the Iraqi invasion of Iran. With the outbreak of the war, the Persian Gulf turned into a battlefield. To guarantee international shipping, control maritime traffic, and protect its shores, Iran designated a war zone covering its territorial waters and the twelve‑mile limits around Abu Musa, Sirri, and the southeastern approaches to Farsi Island, while simultaneously prohibiting all access to Iraqi ports.⁠[14]

The first maritime operation by the Iranian Army Navy Force, known as Ashkan, took place on October 31 and November 1, 1980, with the missile boat Joshan firing at Al-Amaya terminal and the missile boat Gardouneh attacking Al-Bakr terminal.⁠[15] Operation Shahid Safari followed on November 4, 1980, as the second naval operation against these terminals. During this operation, Iranian forces used explosives to heavily damage the Al‑Amaya and Al‑Bakr platforms.⁠[16] To complete the destruction of Al-Bakr, drive the enemy out of the port of Umm al-Qasr, and dismantle Iraq’ s naval capabilities,⁠[17] Operation Morvarid was launched on November 28, resulting in Iraq losing several missile boats and fighter jets.⁠[18]

In the autumn of 1983, Iraq began attacking the Kharg terminal using Super É tendard fighter jets and Exocet missiles, marking the start of the Tanker War. Likewise, on August 12, 1986, Iraq attacked Sirri Island with Mirage aircraft. Despite these strikes, Iraq faced major challenges in exporting its own oil, as the Al-Bakr and Al-Amaya terminals had been disabled in 1980. Furthermore, due to Syria’ s support for Iran, the Iraqi oil export pipeline passing through Syrian territory was closed by the Syrian government in 1981.⁠[19] In support of Iraq, Saudi Arabia placed several of its ports and airports at Iraq’ s disposal and, in 1982, with Kuwait’ s consent, granted Iraq the revenues from the Khafji oil field. In addition, Saudi Arabia became a hub for American AWACS aircraft, which monitored Iranian air and naval activity to support Iraqi operations. It is estimated that throughout the Iran-Iraq War, Saudi Arabia provided over 30 billion dollars in cash and commodity aid to Iraq.⁠[20] On September 1, 1986, the 14th Imam Hussain (as) Division of the IRGC Ground Forces conducted another operation against the Al-Bakr and Al-Amaya terminals. As a result, Al‑Amaya was left completely inoperable, Al‑Bakr was heavily damaged, and the Baathist regime’ s maritime power in the Persian Gulf was sharply reduced.⁠[21]

On July 24, 1987, the tanker Bridgeton, sailing under American naval escort, struck a sea mine and was damaged.⁠[22] On April 18, 1988, the U. S. Navy launched Operation Praying Mantis, targeting Iran’ s Nasr and Salman oil platforms. In response, the Iranian Navy dispatched the vessels Sahand, Joshan, and Sabalan to the area. During the engagement, the Sahand and Joshan were sunk, and the Sabalan was severely damaged.

On July 3, 1988, an Iranian passenger plane traveling on a standard flight path from Bandar Abbas to Dubai was targeted by two missiles fired from the USS Vincennes within Iranian airspace, resulting in the martyrdom of all 290 passengers.⁠[23]

In total, throughout the Iran-Iraq War, 411 ships were targeted, and approximately 38 percent of the Persian Gulf’ s marine life was destroyed due to crude oil spills.⁠[24]

Following the conclusion of the Iran-Iraq War in 1988, the Persian Gulf faced another crisis when the Iraqi army invaded and occupied Kuwait. In response, a Western coalition led by the United States attacked Iraq on January 17, 1991, forcing Saddam Hussein to withdraw from Kuwait by March 3.⁠[25]

In the years following the war, given the strategic importance of the Persian Gulf and the presence of foreign forces— particularly Americans— Iran took steps to build up its deterrence against potential threats. These included the development of missile and torpedo technology, anti-ship and anti-submarine mine technology, the modernization of the Iranian Army Navy and IRGC naval fleets, the expansion of aerial combat capabilities (specifically drones), and the deployment of unmanned high-speed boats, aircraft, and submarines.⁠[26]

For several decades, particularly after the regional conflicts ended, Iranian oil specialists found increasingly favorable conditions for exploration. This led to the discovery of the Azadegan oil field, the massive South Pars gas field, Eastern Assaluyeh, and the Arash and Kish gas fields, significantly increasing Iran’ s energy reserves.⁠[27]

In 2005, based on a resolution by the Supreme Council of the Cultural Revolution, the 10th day of Ordibehesht (the second month in the Iranian calendar, which usually coincides with April 29 or 30) was designated as Persian Gulf National Day. In 2010, this day was registered on Iran’ s National Heritage List. The decision was made by the Ministry of Cultural Heritage, Tourism, and Handicraft Organization. Furthermore, several musical works have also been composed, and numerous books have been written about this waterway and its historical name, the Persian Gulf. The books include Khalij‑e Fars va Masael‑e Aan (The Persian Gulf and Its Issues) by Homayoon Elahi, Nam‑e Darya‑ye Pars va Darya‑ye Mazandaran va Bandarha va Jazirehha‑ye Irani (The Name of the Persian Sea and the Caspian Sea, and the Iranian Ports and Islands) by Iraj Afshar‑Sistani, and Khalij‑e Fars va Naqsh‑e Estratejik‑e Tangeh‑ye Hormuz (The Persian Gulf and the Strategic Role of the Strait of Hormuz) by Muhammad‑Reza Hafeznia.