This week is the 46th anniversary of the start of the Iran-Iraq War, 22Sep80. A brutal war with at least 1 million casualties, trench-warfare, human-wave attacks, “strategic” bombing of cities, missiles, drones (yes, drones), destruction of Kharg Island, attacks on oil infrastructure, the Tanker War, mining the Strait of Hormuz, and even employment of chemical weapons….yet after 8 years, no terrain was gained and neither side was victorious. Saddam Hussein vs Ayatollah Khomeini.

But on 20 July 1988 Ayatollah Khomeini spoke these words:

“Happy are those who have departed through martyrdom. Happy are those who have lost their lives in this caravan of light. Unhappy am I that I still survive and have drunk the poisoned chalice…”

With that, he accepted UN Resolution 598 and the terms of ceasefire. Why? What brought him to that point? Damned good questions for today. Consider this:

First…despite the use of Iraqi chemical weapons on Iran, the international response was tepid, at best. Crickets. NOTHING could be construed as Western sympathy for Iran.

Second…despite an American shootdown (accidental) of an Iranian airliner, the international response was still tepid. Again, sympathy for Iran was lacking.

Third…by 1988 Iranian citizens had become seriously war-weary and morale in the military had evaporated. Money was no longer any good. Inflation in Iran was over 50%. Iranian oil exports were down 75%. The economy was crushed. Iranian battlefield failures had become routine. The Ayatollah’s continued calls for volunteers for “Martyrdom” were falling on deaf ears. No one was volunteering for military service, and the incessant infighting and distrust between the IRGC and Army had left them ineffective and the Islamic Republic vulnerable to collapse.

Fourth…by 1988 Saddam had managed to rebuild his army to 1M men…the 4th largest in the world. At the same time, Iran’s national security advisor had concluded that for Iran to be victorious, it would need an army 8 times larger and take 5 more years.

Facing overwhelming combat power, a collapsed economy, and an international community that had no intention of constraining either Iraq or the USA from doing whatever was necessary to end his regime, Ayatollah Khomeini chose to drink from the “poisoned chalice.”

But the Islamic Republic survived.

My guest on the show this week is Ambassador Stan Escudero, who was on the ground and undercover in Tehran during the Islamic Revolution in 1979. He was also the POLAD to CENTCOM during Operation Praying Mantis in 1988 when we sunk half the Iranian navy. He knows Iran like few others. He has absolutely fascinating insight into the regime. Click on the link to listen to our discussion and Lessons Learned: https://frontlinesoffreedom.com/show-979/