Iran Marks Sacred Defense Anniversary: Honoring Resistance Against Ba'athist Aggression

On September 22, 1980, backed by both Western and Eastern powers, Saddam Hussein’s army invaded southwestern Iran, sparking what Iranians call the 8-year Imposed War—a brutal conflict launched just one year after the 1979 Islamic Revolution.

For Tehran, the war was “imposed” because Iran never sought it; it was forced upon the nation by an aggressor who never expected fierce resistance. In response, Iranians launched their Sacred Defense, a determined struggle to reclaim occupied land and defend their sovereignty.

Despite clear evidence, the UN Security Council—under pressure from major powers that armed Saddam—refused to declare Iraq as the war’s initiator throughout the conflict. Only years later, in 1991, UN Secretary General Javier Pérez de Cuéllar officially recognized Iraq as the aggressor, affirming Iran’s right to self-defense.

Saddam’s motives ranged from dreams of annexing oil-rich Khuzestan to exploiting post-revolution instability in Iran, emboldened by hostile foreign powers. His dramatic tearing up of the 1975 Algiers Agreement symbolized his intent to violate international law.

Today, as Iran commemorates the 45th anniversary of the Imposed War, nationwide parades mark Sacred Defense Week. The Army, Air Force, Navy, IRGC, and Police join in honoring those who fought, underscoring Iran’s resilience against aggression and its enduring call for sovereignty, justice, and peace.