Journal Article

What the Iran-Iraq War Tells Us about the Future of the Iran Nuclear Deal

| Summer 2017

Summary

Western policymakers and scholars have underestimated the Iran-Iraq War’s effect on Iran’s nuclear policy. Iranian histories of the war and interviews with Iranian officials show how the war led Iran to distrust the international system and emphasize self-reliance. Understanding this history can help U.S. and other Western policymakers to ensure that Iran continues to implement the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action limiting its nuclear activities.

For more information on this publication: Belfer Communications Office
For Academic Citation:

Ariane M. Tabatabai and Annie Tracy Samuel, "What the Iran-Iraq War Tells Us about the Future of the Iran Nuclear Deal," International Security, Vol. 42, No. 1 (Summer 2017), pp. 152–185.

The Authors