What did the declassified documents reveal?

Iran‑Iraq War Timeline – a declassified chronology compiled from United States media accounts and declassified documents. This document was released to the public through The Black Vault, the online repository that publishes material obtained under the Freedom of Information Act. The entry appears on archive.org under the title “Iran‑IraqWar Part 1‑rotated djvu.txt.” The declassification was authorized by the United States Department of State, and the material was made available to the public on the date of the archive upload. The document begins with a brief note: “This chronology is intended to provide a detailed, though by no means comprehensive, road map to events relating to the Iran‑Iraq war. The entries derive primarily from U.S. media accounts as well as from declassified documents.” The timeline then lists the following entries. Six March nineteen seventy‑five – The Algiers Accords is signed. Saddam Hussein gives partial control of the Shatt al‑Arab waterway to a militarily superior Iran. In return, the Shah promises to respect Iraq’s security and stop Iranian aid to Iraqi‑based Kurdish rebels. Sixteen January nineteen seventy‑nine – The Shah and his family are forced into exile. One February nineteen seventy‑nine – Ayatollah Khomeini returns to Iran following fourteen years of exile in Iraq and France. August nineteen seventy‑nine – Iraqi authorities invite Mehdi Bazargan, the first Prime Minister of the Islamic Republic of Iran, to visit Baghdad. The meeting is intended to improve bilateral relations between the two countries. Four November nineteen seventy‑nine – The United States embassy in Tehran is overrun and sixty‑six Americans are taken hostage. The crisis lasts until twenty January nineteen eighty‑one, when Iran releases the remaining fifty‑two Americans. Among other outcomes, the event leads to the resignation of Prime Minister Mehdi Bazargan and his government. Bazargan is later accused of plotting the overthrow of the Islamic Republic—with the help of the Iraqi regime. Eight February nineteen eighty – Saddam Hussein proposes a pan‑Arab charter calling for a “non‑aligned” Arab world and opposing the presence of either superpower in the region. The move is seen as part of Hussein’s determination to resist Soviet expansionism after the invasion of Afghanistan. April nineteen eighty – The Iranian‑backed militia group Al‑Dawa attempts to assassinate Iraqi Foreign Minister Tariq Aziz. Shortly after this failed attempt, the group tries to kill Latif Nusseif al‑Jasim, the Iraq Minister of Culture and Information. Iraq responds by rounding up members and supporters of Al‑Dawa in Iraq, and deporting thousands of Iraqi Shiites to Iran. Seven April nineteen eighty – Iran puts its armed forces on “full alert,” declaring this is in response to repeated Iraqi attacks on oil and other facilities near the border between the two countries. Eight April nineteen eighty – Ayatollah Khomeini broadcasts a speech in which he calls on the Iraqi…

Why was this case declassified?

This material entered the public record through the U.S. declassification and Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) process. The originating source document is linked on this page so the citation chain is auditable.

Declassified Documents About The Iran Iraq War

◆ BLUF — The short version

Iran‑Iraq War Timeline – a declassified chronology compiled from United States media accounts and declassified documents. This document was released to the public through The Black Vault, the online repository that publishes material obtained under the Freedom of Information Act.

Date: JUL 31 · 2026
Release: Declassified · U.S. public record (FOIA)
Source document: View the primary source document

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What was Declassified Documents About The Iran Iraq War about?: Iran‑Iraq War Timeline – a declassified chronology compiled from United States media accounts and declassified documents. This document was released to the public through The Black Vault, the online repository that publishes material obtained under the Freedom of Information Act.
Why was this case declassified?: This material entered the public record through the U.S. declassification and Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) process. Storyflo narrates it directly from the public release.

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