Iran and Iraq were rivals in the Gulf region.

Mark scheme

Marking points from the official mark scheme (May/June 2021). The mark or mark type is shown in brackets.

1. [1] In 1957 Saddam Hussein joined the Baath Party.
2. [1] In 1959 he was involved in an attempt to assassinate Iraq's ruler.
3. [1] In 1964 he became a member of the Regional Command.
4. [1] He played a leading role in the July Revolution of 1968.
5. [1] He made important allies in the Iraqi army.
6. [1] After the revolution, he became President Bakr's deputy.
7. [1] In 1979 he forced Bakr to step down and he became President.
8. [6] The Iran-Iraq War was important to the West primarily because it sought to prevent either Iran or Iraq from becoming dominant in the Middle East. Both nations were perceived as unfriendly to Western interests, so the West aimed to maintain a balance of power, fearing that a decisive victory by either side could destabilize the region and threaten Western allies like Kuwait and Saudi Arabia. For example, an Islamic revolutionary Iran winning could have established a threatening Islamic government in Baghdad, jeopardizing oil supplies and regional stability, which is why the West provided Iraq with arms and money to prevent an Iranian victory.
9. [1] It did not want instability in this region.
10. [1] It needed oil supplies from the region.
11. [1] It did not want a victory for the anti-West Islamic regime in Iran.
12. [1] It wanted to keep a balance of power in the region.
13. [1] It did not want its allies such as Kuwait and Saudi Arabia threatened by a victory for Iran.
14. [10] The establishment of an Islamic republic in Iran by April 1979 was not very surprising. The Shah's repressive rule, use of secret police, torture, and execution of opponents, combined with vast wealth inequalities, had made him deeply unpopular. Ayatollah Khomeini, a prominent Muslim cleric in exile, capitalized on these grievances and explicitly advocated for an Islamic republic. His eventual return triggered a popular revolution that overthrew the Shah, and a referendum swiftly converted the country into an Islamic republic, fulfilling Khomeini's long-standing plan. OR The establishment of an Islamic republic was surprising. Much of the opposition to the Shah stemmed from grievances like poverty, lavish lifestyles amidst widespread hardship, and excessive military spending, which were not inherently religious. While Khomeini was a figurehead, he was in exile during the initial anti-Shah demonstrations, only returning after the Shah had fled. Many protestors were demonstrating for political freedoms and economic justice, not specifically for an Islamic republic. Therefore, its establishment was a surprising outcome given the diverse motivations of the revolutionary movement.
15. [1] Many of the grievances of the Iranian people were to do with poverty and repressive rule.
16. [1] Khomeini deliberately did not focus on religious issues.
17. [1] Khomeini always wanted an Islamic republic.
18. [1] Khomeini was in exile and not directly involved in the anti-Shah demonstrations.
19. [1] An overwhelming majority of the Iranian people voted for an Islamic republic in 1979.