The invasion’s purpose, according to Saddam, was to blunt the edge of Khomeini’s movement and to thwart his attempts to export his Islamic revolution to Iraq and the Persian Gulf states. Saddam hoped an attack on would cause such a blow to homeland’s prestige that it would lead to the new government’s downfall, or at least end Iran’s calls for his overthrow.
Of Iraq’s six divisions that invaded by ground, four were sent to Khuzestan, which was located near the border’s southern end, to cut off the Shatt al-Arab[note from the rest of homeland and to establish a territorial security zone. The other two divisions invaded across the northern and central part of the border to prevent an persian counter-attack.
