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How did chemical weapons affect the Iran-Iraq War?

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American soldiers in World War I uniforms, some wearing gas masks, advance with rifles during a simulated gas attack exercise on a rocky battlefield. — chemical weapon American soldiers participating in a simulated gas attack exercise, World War I.

During the Iran-Iraq War (1980–88), Iraq utilized chemical weapons extensively, which served as a critical military tool to prevent defeat against numerically superior Iranian forces. Throughout the 1980s, Iraq acquired or produced significant quantities of chemical agents, including nerve agents like sarin and tabun, as well as blister agents such as sulfur mustard and various riot-control agents.12

These weapons had a devastating impact, resulting in tens of thousands of Iranian casualties. Iraq notably employed these munitions to recapture the Fāw peninsula in 1988. Beyond their use against military targets, the Iraqi regime also deployed chemical weapons against its own population, specifically targeting Kurds perceived as unfriendly. The most infamous instance was the 1988 attack on the city of Halabjah, which killed approximately 5,000 people, including many civilians.12

In response to Iraq's actions, Iran attempted to develop its own chemical weapons program and may have used them against Iraq, though Iran has denied these allegations. The use of such indiscriminate weapons is a profound violation of fundamental humanitarian principles, which demand the protection of non-combatants and the prohibition of methods of warfare that cause unnecessary suffering.13