An illustrated account of the continuing war between Iran and Iraq which has involved not only the other states in the Persian Gulf, but is increasingly drawing in the superpowers. This book is part of the "Flashpoints" series and aims to show that the Gulf War is just the latest episode in the Arab-Persian struggle which has continued since the seventh century. It outlines the circumstances which led to the war and the ebb and flow of the fighting, and examines the current struggles from 1980 in detail and how the blunders and miscalculations by Iran and Iraq have meant that neither has an early military victory in sight. The author, who is a senior current affairs commentator with BBC Arabic Service analyzes the implications of the conflict for the Iraqis and Iranians themselves, for the rest of the Gulf and for the world as a whole. He shows how the struggle at sea could drag in outside powers and looks at the increasing efforts of the international community to end the fighting. In conclusion, Childs considers the future and concludes that the most likely prospect is that the war will continue. The book is intended to provide background reading for those studying for GCSE examinations.