The importance of the Persian Gulf is readily apparent, and Iraq and Iran are the two most important states in the region, given their population size, military strength and potential threat to other states in the region and the United States. These two countries fought a prolonged and devastating war between 1980 and 1988, with the loss of over a million people, the use of missiles, and even the use of chemical weapons. While today Iraq is weakened and Iran is struggling, they will remain central actors in the area. This collection provides crucial insight into the background to the war of the 1980s, covering both the history and the issues, and the legacies of that war. The authors cover such central issues as how each side has sought to use opposition groups in the other state to weaken it, ethnic divisions, the role of outside states (especially the United States) and a fascinating account of how the war affected a generation of Iraqis and Iranians. This book thus provides a basis for understanding the background of a tumultuous relationship that is entering a new era.