Key Facts
- Date
- March 1982
- Number of phases
- 4
- Theater
- Khuzestan Province, southwestern Iran
- Commanding officer
- Lt. General Ali Sayad Shirazi
- Related battle
- Battle of Shush
Strategic Narrative Overview
Operation Fath-ol-Mobin was conducted in four phases in March 1982 under the command of Lt. General Ali Sayad Shirazi. Iranian forces attacked Iraqi positions across Khuzestan, successfully pushing back Iraqi troops. The operation resulted in the Battle of Shush and is considered by many analysts to be a turning point in the conflict. It worked alongside other concurrent operations, collectively reversing Iraqi territorial gains in southern Iran.
01 / The Origins
The Iran–Iraq War began in September 1980 when Iraq, under Saddam Hussein, invaded Iran in a bid to seize the oil-rich Khuzestan Province and assert regional dominance. Iraqi forces advanced deep into Iranian territory in the early months of the war, occupying significant portions of Khuzestan and placing Iran on the defensive. By 1982, Iran had regrouped and launched a series of counter-offensives aimed at expelling Iraqi troops from its soil.
03 / The Outcome
The operation resulted in the eviction of Iraqi troops from much of Khuzestan Province. Some analysts, including Efraim Karsh, argue that the subsequent Operation Beit ol-Moqaddas (April–May 1982), which liberated the strategically important city of Khorramshahr, had the greatest overall impact on expelling Iraqi forces from southern Iran. Together, these operations shifted the strategic momentum decisively in Iran's favor.
Belligerents & Mobilization Analysis
Side A
1 belligerent
Ali Sayad Shirazi.
Side B
1 belligerent
Kinetic Engagement Axis
Scroll horizontally to view full axis. Events plotted relatively.