Tension between Iran and Iraq culminated in war in 1980.

Mark scheme

Marking points from the official mark scheme (Oct/Nov 2020). The mark or mark type is shown in brackets.

1. [1-4] Level 1 One mark for each relevant point; additional mark for supporting detail
2. One disputed area was the Shatt al-Arab waterway.
3. The waterway gave access to the Persian Gulf.
4. It was important to both countries for their oil exports.
5. It was Iraq's only outlet to the sea.
6. A treaty in 1937 gave Iraq a favourable agreement over the waterway but the Shah rejected this.
7. There was a dispute over Khuzestan which was rich in oil.
8. [6] Level 4 Explains TWO reasons
9. [4-5] Level 3 Explains ONE reason
10. [2-3] Level 2 Identifies AND/OR describes reasons
11. [1] Level 1 General answer lacking specific contextual knowledge
12. e.g. 'Saddam Hussein saw the Islamic Revolution as an opportunity to attack Iran because he thought it made Iran weaker than before. When the Shah was overthrown, Iran's alliance with the United States ended. This meant Iran no longer had access to American supplies for tanks and armoured vehicles.'
13. e.g. 'Saddam Hussein thought it made Iran weaker.'
14. 'American support for Iran ended.'
15. 'Iran no longer had access to American supplies of spare parts for tanks and armoured vehicles.'
16. 'There was a purge of the Iranian army following the revolution.'
17. 'Iran was unstable.'
18. 'There was religious conflict: Khomeini was Shiite / Saddam was Sunni.'
19. 'Saddam was the target of assassination plots.'
20. [10] Level 5 Explains with evaluation of 'how far'
21. [7-9] Level 4 Explanation of both sides
22. [4-6] Level 3 One-sided explanation OR one explanation of both sides 5-6 marks
23. [2-3] Level 2 Identifies AND/OR describes
24. [1] Level 1 General answer lacking specific contextual knowledge
25. e.g. 'Iraq gained from the Iran-Iraq war because Western support of arms and money ensured that by the end of the war Iraq was much stronger in terms of tanks and aircraft and Iran was glad to agree a ceasefire. In 1988, Iraq launched a series of devastating attacks which seriously damaged Iranian morale and caused many casualties. Iran had failed to topple Saddam from power and the Islamic revolution had not spread to Iraq.'
26. OR e.g. 'Both sides were severely damaged by the war. The death toll was high with around 2 percent of the populations of both states losing their lives in the fighting. The war also had a devastating economic impact on both states and they faced bankruptcy as a result.'
27. e.g. 'Western support strengthened Iraq.'
28. 'Iran lost around 1 million people in the war.'
29. 'Both states faced bankruptcy because of the war.'
30. 'Iraq owed $80 billion in foreign debt.'
31. 'Income from Iraq's oil industry was halved by the war.'
32. 'Living standards in Iran plummeted.'
33. 'Saddam Hussein claimed the war was a victory for Iraq.'
34. 'Khomeini remained in power.'