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How did the Iran-Iraq War and the Persian Gulf War disrupt irrigation projects in Iraq?

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Map showing the Tigris and Euphrates river basin and its drainage network across Turkey, Syria, and Iraq, with color shading for elevation, major dams, canals, lakes, and boundaries with neighboring countries. The green areas indicate lower elevations along the river valleys, while higher elevations are shaded in brown and orange. A small locator map in the corner shows the basin's position within the Middle East. — Tigris-Euphrates river system The Tigris and Euphrates river basin and its drainage network.

The Iran-Iraq War and the Persian Gulf War significantly disrupted Iraq's irrigation infrastructure, stalling development and undoing decades of progress.12

During the 1980s, the Iran-Iraq War delayed numerous irrigation and water supply projects and caused heavy physical damage to infrastructure, particularly in the southeast where much of the fighting occurred. Following this, the Persian Gulf War further devastated the country's systems. U.S.-led coalition attacks extensively damaged energy and communication networks; because these systems were interconnected, the failure of electricity led to the widespread deterioration of irrigation and pumping installations. The lack of spare parts, exacerbated by subsequent trade embargoes, prevented necessary repairs and maintenance.12

While the government later initiated large-scale canal projects in the south following the Persian Gulf War, these were primarily designed for drainage and political control over the southern marshlands rather than purely for agricultural expansion. Ultimately, the cumulative impact of these conflicts and the resulting economic instability left many irrigation, drainage, and desalinization projects halted or in a state of disrepair.32