Liberation of Khorramshahr

Overview

The Second Battle of Khorramshahr, also known in Iran as the Liberation of Khorramshahr was the Iranian recapture of the city of Khorramshahr on 24 May 1982, during the Iran–Iraq War. The city had been captured by the Iraqis earlier in the war, on 26 October 1980, shortly after the Iraqi invasion of Iran. The successful retaking of the city was part of Iran's Operation Beit ol-Moqaddas. It is perceived as a turning point in the war; and the liberation of the city is annually celebrated in Iran on 24 May.

Overview adapted from Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Significance

The recapture of Khorramshahr on 24 May 1982 stands as a turning point in the Iran–Iraq War. The city had fallen to Iraqi forces on 26 October 1980 during the opening phase of the Iraqi invasion, making its recapture a significant reversal of Iraqi territorial gains. Conducted as part of Iran's Operation Beit ol-Moqaddas, the battle saw Iranian forces numbering approximately 100,000 engage an Iraqi garrison of around 80,000, inflicting roughly 8,000 Iraqi casualties at a cost of 12,000–15,000 Iranian dead and wounded. The successful operation demonstrated Iran's capacity to mount large-scale offensive action and retake major urban centers, shifting momentum away from Iraq. The liberation of Khorramshahr is commemorated annually in Iran, reflecting its enduring political and symbolic weight within the Islamic Republic's narrative of the war.

Forces & casualties

Commanders (9)