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Gov’t Urged to Pursue Iran-Iraq War Reparations

Shapur Zol Aktaf

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Gov’t Urged to Pursue Iran-Iraq War Reparations

Lawmakers have called on the government to follow up on the issue of reparations dating back to the catastrophic eight-year Iran-Iraq war in the 80s, saying that the amount of damages should be determined, though the mechanism and time of payment is negotiable.

Over a dozen parliamentarians have weighed on the matter in the past month in their talks with the official parliamentary news agency ICANA, which shows the issue is gaining momentum in Iran.

Yahya Kamalipour, a member of Majlis Judicial and Legal Commission, said that "under the present circumstances, even if we do not want to claim our right [of getting reparations] for any reason, our right must be retained so that it can be recorded in history."

Kamalipour pointed to the close Tehran-Baghdad relations after the overthrow of former Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein in 2003 and said, "Today relations have become brotherly. Therefore we must solve this matter between the governments and then agree on ways of receiving damages."

Iraq invaded Iran on Sept. 22, 1980, triggering a bitter eight-year war that devastated both countries and destabilized the region.

The war claimed the lives of at least one million people and during the conflict Iraq used poison gas against Iranians.

An estimated 20,000 Iranians were killed by Iraqi mustard gas or by nerve agents during the conflict.

The war ended in 1988 after UN Resolution 598 came into effect.

On 9 December 1991, the former UN secretary-general, Javier Perez de Cuellar, reported that Iraq's initiation of the war was unjustified, as was its occupation of Iranian territory and use of chemical weapons against civilians.

A large portion of interviewed parliamentarians have also called on the reparations to be paid non-cash, offering alternative mechanisms.

Participation in Energy Projects

Lawmaker Mohammad Javad Abtahi said the Islamic Republic has not followed up the matter because of the difficult conditions facing Baghdad today.

Since Saddam's overthrow, Iraq has seen bouts of insecurities that culminated in 2014 with the self-styled Islamic State terrorist group grabbing swathes of the country in lightning attacks. The group has lost most of those territories since then.

On top of that, Iraqi Kurdistan Region held an illegal secession referendum late last month, which has pushed the country to the brink of disintegration.

"Given the peculiar state of Iraq, part of damages can be sought through participation in Iraq's oil and gas projects," Abtahi said.

Lawmaker Mohammad Mahmoudi said once the amount of reparations is determined, they must be deferred until Iraq is in a stable situation, adding that "some of the compensations can be paid through barter and other projects".

Lawmaker Ali Bakhtiyar said some of the damages must be paid by countries supporting the Saddam regime during the war.

"The US supported the Iraqi invasion of Iran, and therefore must pay part of damages," Bakhtiyar said, calling for the matter to be followed up through international legal bodies.

Lawmaker Morteza Saffari said the fact that Iran has not followed up the issue of war reparations does not mean that it has forgotten it.

"Due to some reasons, we did not follow the issue of reparations after Saddam's fall," Saffari said.

"I believe that Baghdad cannot pay the war reparations since it does not have the necessary financial infrastructure, but the follow-up of the issue must not be neglected," he concluded.

https://financialtribune.com/articles/national/73898/gov-t-urged-to-pursue-iran-iraq-war-reparations
 
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So Iran is supposed to be Iraq's "best and most reliable friend".........who will eventually "get pay back"(literally )for iraq's recklessness during the Iran-Iraq war?

realistically though, can and will Iraq pay Iran for war reparations? or is more symbolic?
 
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Can a post Baathist Iraq really be held accountable for the actions of Baathists?

"Given the peculiar state of Iraq, part of damages can be sought through participation in Iraq's oil and gas projects," Abtahi said.
Hmm just another money grab then :rolleyes::disagree:

I wonder if even pro Iranian Iraqi's would agree to it?
 
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Can a post Baathist Iraq really be held accountable for the actions of Baathists?

I wonder if even pro Iranian Iraqi's would agree to it?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/War_reparations
Nothing personal, this is between friends and neighbours.

So Iran is supposed to be Iraq's "best and most reliable friend".........who will eventually "pay up"for the Iran-Iraq war?

realistically though, can and will Iraq pay Iran for war reparations? or is more symbolic?
It's completely normal to do so:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/War_reparations

Iraq is still paying small Kuwait 52 billion dollars, for only 7 months occupation of Kuwait, 4000 deaths.
Iran Iraq war lasted 8 years, 500000-1000000 deaths, use of chemical weapons (many injured after the war), destruction of cities and large territories, destruction of economy. UN pointed to Iraq as the agressor/starter of the war.

Now Iraq is our neighbour and friend, like Kuwait we could directly claim reparations after the fall of saddam in 2003 (the faster the claims, more chance that you succeed). But because of understanding the situation and crisis in Iraq we declined to do so and we even helped Iraq in critical moments. And still we would not necessary want the money in cash, if we can agree on war reparations with Iraq. There are other ways which would not put pressure on Iraq, such as getting contracts.
 
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That won't happen, and will only fuel hostility. Iraq is paying Kuwait due to the many UN sanctions tied to these repairs, that's not the case with the Iran-Iraq war, which is not all to be blamed on Saddam but also Khomeini who refused the 1982 cease fire.
 
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That won't happen, and will only fuel hostility. Iraq is paying Kuwait due to the many UN sanctions tied to these repairs, that's not the case with the Iran-Iraq war, which is not all to be blamed on Saddam but also Khomeini who refused the 1982 cease fire.
I think not paying and not looking for a solution is more hostile and irresponsible than deciding to do so.

Even the former head of Supreme Council for the Islamic Revolution in Iraq (Sciri), the most important Shia Muslim party, Abdul Aziz Al-Hakim agreed:
The head of Iraq's Interim Governing Council says Iran should be paid reparations for the war that Saddam Hussein waged against it in the 1980s. Abdul Aziz al-Hakim said further discussion was needed to decide what if anything Iraq would pay itself.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/3329671.stm


Opinions and point of views do not matter, fact is that Iraq started the invasion and was condemned for that by the UN. Another fact about this MEK/Baath propaganda of 1982 ceasefire is that Iraq didn't want to give back occupied Iranian lands in exchange for the cease fire. Even if so, Saddam words could not be trusted and he only offered the ceasefire out of fear of losing, not because of being peaceful, just like his signing of the algiers agreement which he teared apart. Iran did well not signing any deal with that untrustable madman.

All of these points aside, working together is not only about taking and benefiting, but also giving. Many Iranians to this day died protecting Syria and Iraq, while the Iranian victims of Baathist Iraq are still suffering due to effects of nerve agents. This problem will eventually be solved behind closed doors as neighbours and partners, to prevent some ex-baath or Isis supporters showing hostile reaction.
 
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I think not paying and not looking for a solution is more hostile and irresponsible than deciding to do so.

Even the former head of Supreme Council for the Islamic Revolution in Iraq (Sciri), the most important Shia Muslim party, Abdul Aziz Al-Hakim agreed:
The head of Iraq's Interim Governing Council says Iran should be paid reparations for the war that Saddam Hussein waged against it in the 1980s. Abdul Aziz al-Hakim said further discussion was needed to decide what if anything Iraq would pay itself.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/3329671.stm


Opinions and point of views do not matter, fact is that Iraq started the invasion and was condemned for that by the UN. Another fact about this MEK/Baath propaganda of 1982 ceasefire is that Iraq didn't want to give back occupied Iranian lands in exchange for the cease fire. So that argument is also invalid.

All of these a side, working together is not only about taking and benefiting, but also giving. Many Iranians died protecting Syria and Iraq, while the Iranian victims of Baathist Iraq are still suffering due to effects of nerve agents. This problem will eventually be solved behind closed doors as neighbours and partners, to prevent some ex-baath or Isis supporters showing hostile reaction.

Hakim's party is close to Iran's leadership, therefor as expected.
Not many Iranians fought in Iraq, only a few leaders who came voluntarily, the number is very small.
Casualties and ongoing suffering is on both sides, both physically and mentally.

It's not just baathists who will show a hostile reaction, everyone in the country will be hostile to this.

I don't believe either side has to pay anything, if you think requesting $500 billion or anything in a large sum is going to be met with a friendly reply then that's a big gamble. Kuwait shouldn't be paid either in an ideal situation, but they got the UN on their side with sanctions on Iraq that were taken off only after repairs.

Anyway they can pursue, requesting money is always nice.
 
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