Moscow retaliates by expelling Iranian diplomats

Iran voted for General Assembly resolution ES-6/2, which deplored armed intervention in Afghanistan and called for withdrawal of foreign troops.

Iraq launched its full-scale invasion of Iran. Iraq’s military relationship with the USSR became a central concern for Tehran during the war.

Iranian security forces arrested Tudeh leader Nur-al-Din Kianuri in the first wave of a crackdown on the Soviet-linked party.

A further wave of arrests targeted Tudeh members and supporters in Tehran and the provinces, intensifying the repression of the party.

Iran declared Tudeh illegal and announced the expulsion of 18 Soviet diplomats, alleging interference in domestic affairs.

Iran announced plans to renew gas sales to the USSR after an interruption in deliveries.

The Security Council unanimously adopted resolution 598 calling for an Iran–Iraq ceasefire and withdrawal to internationally recognized boundaries, with Soviet support.

Iran notified the UN Secretary-General of its acceptance of resolution 598, moving the peace process toward a ceasefire and easing a major obstacle to regional diplomacy.

The UN-supervised ceasefire began, ending the war’s main fighting and creating a more favourable setting for renewed Iranian–Soviet cooperation.

Khomeini’s letter to Gorbachev challenged Marxist materialism and urged study of Islamic thought, while expressing interest in good-neighbourly relations. The exchange showed that diplomatic contact...