Exports of the Islamic Revolution of Iran and its Consequences on Iraq (1979-1991)

Abstract

One of the distinctive features of ideological revolutions in the twentieth century is their desire to internationalize and transfer their revolutionary goals and content by the revolutionaries themselves, based on the belief that their movements can be a successful model for other peoples and countries in the world. The Iranian Revolution of 1979, which had an Islamic-Shiite character, was no exception to this rule, as exporting the revolution played a major role in the thinking and behavior of a large part of the revolutionaries in its early days. This was represented in the quest to transfer the revolution outside the borders of Iran and support oppressed peoples and liberation movements. In this context, Iraq, compared to other countries in the region, was the most prominent choice for exporting the revolution due to its political and sectarian differences. From this standpoint, this research aims to analyze the main characteristics and effects of the discourse of exporting the revolution from the perspective and approach of Ayatollah Khomeini as the leader of the revolution, while studying its reflections and results on Iranian foreign policy, especially during the eight-year Iran-Iraq war (1980-1988). The research methodology is based on the historical descriptive-analytical method, and is based on primary sources, including speeches and statements of political leaders during the study period. Keywords: Revolutionary exports, 1979 revolution, Ayatollah Khomeini, Eight-year war, Iran, Iraq