The Iraq-Iran War was a war between two rival states with different religious/fundamental views, ethnic origins, historical ethnic and border tensions, and power-hungry national leaderships fighting for the dominant state position of the Persian Gulf (Iran-Iraq war (1980-1988)). This war is significant for several reasons: it was the longest conventional war of the 20th century (lasting from 1980 to 1988), witnessed several unique and horrific tactics, and set the stage for the United States' eventual invasion of Kuwait. 'Iraq (Iran-Iraq War (1980-1988). The Iraq-Iran War is a prime example of two competing nationalist/fundamentalist states, and its repercussions left lasting effects that are still felt today. Iraq/Iran tensions date back to the postcolonial era and include disputes over “Iraq's claim to Arab-inhabited territories (the oil-producing southwestern province of Iran called Khouzestan), as well as Iraq's right to Shatt el-Arab (Arvandroud)” (Iran War -Iraq (1980-1988)), a waterway that served as a shipping route for both nations' oil exports. “This waterway is the confluence of the Tigris and Euphrates rivers and forms the southern border between Iraq and Iran” (Dugdale-Pointon). Tensions flared between the two states when Iraq severed diplomatic relations with Iran in 1971, after the British withdrew from the region, forcing around 70,000 Iraqi Shiites to leave the country (Iran-Iraq War). This action, along with Iraq's claims to Khouzestan, caused Iran to provide shelter and supplies to Iraqi Kurdish rebels (Iran-Iraq War). The second major factor contributing to the Iraq-Iran War was the rise of two leaders with extreme ideologies and goals. . The rise of these leaders coincided with… paper supplies being halved. Both countries, however, suffered severe losses, especially financially. As Iraq emerged from the war confident in its military might, it set its sights on its oil-producing southern neighbor, Kuwait (Iran-Iraq War). Iraq launched an offensive against Kuwait both as a means to pay off its war debt and to gain control of Kuwait's oil industry, however, this new war proved worse for Iraq. In Iran, a newly elected president initiated a regime that gave Iranian national interests primacy over Islamic doctrine (Iran-Iraq War (1980-1988)). Ultimately, the Iraq-Iran War demonstrated that neither Arab nationalism nor Islamic fundamentalism is necessarily the right choice for the political composition of a state, but both served as a guide for both these countries and Iran as they continue to follow. Works CitedHistory of World Societies