Battle of Mehran

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Battle of Mehran

Part of Iran-Iraq War

Date	May-June 1986
Location	Mehran, Iran
Result	Tactical Iranian victory, Saddam Hussein called for the mobilization of the Iraqi Popular Army militia^[1]
Territorial changes	City of Mehran

Belligerents

Iraq

Iran

v • d • e

Iran-Iraq War

Kaman 99 - Abadan - Morvarid - Dezful - Undeniable Victory - Khorramshahr - Samen-ol-A'emeh - Jerusalem Way - Jerusalem - Ramadan - Before the Dawn - Dawn 1 - Dawn 2 - Dawn 3 - Dawn 4 - Dawn V - Dawn 6 - Marshes - Kheibar - Badr - Cities - 1st Al Faw - Dawn 8 - Karbala 4 - Karbala-5 - Karbala-6 - Karbala Ten - Nasr 4 - Halabja - Zafar 7 - 2nd Al Faw - Mersad

Related U.S. operations

Earnest Will - Prime Chance - Eager Glacier - Nimble Archer - Praying Mantis

In response to the loss of the al-Faw Peninsula Saddam Hussein pushed into Iran to seize an Iranian city to trade for the strategically important al-Faw Peninsula. He was able to seize the city of Mehran, Iran in May of 1986. He then offered to trade the city for al-Faw but instead of negotiating the Iranians were able to retake the city in June of 1986, humiliating Saddam.

1 Background
2 The battle
3 Aftermath
4 See also
5 References

[edit] Background

Main article: First Battle of Al-Faw

In February of 1986 Iran launched a successful surprise amphibious assault, First Battle of Al-Faw, across the Shatt al-Arab(Arvand rod in Persian) waterway and seized the strategic al-Faw Peninsula. The Iraqi units in charge of the defenses were mostly made up of poorly-trained Iraqi Popular Army conscripts that collapsed when they were suddenly attacked by the Iranian Pasdaran (Revolutionary Guard) forces.

[edit] The battle

In May 1986 Iraqi forces captured Mehran, on the western plain of the Zagros Mountains in Ilam Province, and pushed eastward to the mountain base.^[2] Mehran occupied an important position on the major north-south road, close to the border on the Iranian side. Saddam Hussein offered to exchange the captured city for the desired territory of Al-Faw. The occupation lasted only one month, however. Instead of acquiescing, Iranian forces recaptured Mehran and drove off the Iraqis, humiliating Saddam and raising doubts about his ability to win the war.

[edit] Aftermath

The loss of the city was humiliating to Saddam and after the battle the Baath Party held an "Extraordinary Congress" and decided on a mobilization of the Iraqi Popular Army.^[1] Enlisting men as old as 42 the regime initiated a total call-up of available manpower in 1986. At the time the government feared that response to the mobilization would lead to draft riots but the response was good young men -- even college students -- reported without incident. The fact that the public answered the call indicated that Iraqis supported their government during the war.^[1]