Muskie and Gromyko discuss containing the war

Iraq publicly repudiated the treaty and asserted sovereignty over the Shatt al-Arab. The declaration preceded the invasion by five days; Iran viewed it as evidence that the attack was prepared...

The Iranian Air Force struck Iraqi air bases and military infrastructure the day after Iraq’s opening attacks. The operation demonstrated that the revolution had not eliminated Iran’s capacity to...

A U.S. energy memorandum identified India, Brazil and South Korea among buyers of Iranian crude. The assessment shows Iran’s export links as the Iraqi invasion disrupted regional oil flows.

The ICRC appealed to Iran and Iraq through their Geneva missions to respect the four Geneva Conventions, immediately after hostilities began.

The UN Secretary-General forwarded an appeal to the presidents of Iran and Iraq. The diplomatic intervention came two days after Iraq’s invasion, as Iran faced attacks and the loss of border...

Henry Owen reviewed proposals for more predictable oil prices and supply management. His memorandum linked the Iran-Iraq war to uncertainty over forthcoming producer consultations.

Iran and Iraq agreed to receive an Islamic goodwill mission seeking to end the fighting. Acceptance of mediation did not establish a ceasefire.

An interagency meeting ordered assessments of pipeline capacity and possible wider Gulf supply losses. Officials sought to protect vulnerable oil customers without encouraging panic purchases.

U.S. officials debated Saudi requests for military help. Christopher warned that conspicuous aid could appear directed against Iran, while Brown and Brzezinski favored conditional assistance.

Iran attacked the unfinished reactor complex near Baghdad after the invasion. The strike caused limited damage and did not destroy the facility; its significance lay in Iran’s effort to reduce a...