🌎 Big Picture: Countries around the world got involved in a war, each side supporting a different party based on their own interests and fears.

• Main Supporters of Iraq: Arab states.

• Main Reason: They were afraid Iranian forces might liberate the Iraqi Shiites, leading to an Iraqi state loyal to Khomeini.

• Arab Gulf States: Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain, and the UAE didn't really back the Islamic Revolution, except the Shiite minority within.

• Historic Rivalry Alert: The war revived old feuds between Arabs and Persians.

  Examples

  • Think of when two big sports teams have an age-old rivalry, like the Yankees vs. Red Sox. Here, it's countries and religious sects!

• Major Supporters: Saudi Arabia, Gulf's oil-rich states, Egypt, and Jordan. They gave Iraq money and weapons.

  Extra Info: Jordan played delivery-man by allowing Iraq to move goods in and out through the port of Aqaba. Kind of like the delivery guy who gets you your pizza when all routes seem blocked!

• Supported: Iran.

• Why?: They didn't get along with Iraq. (Neighborly disputes, but on a grand scale.)

  Real-world example: Imagine not lending your lawnmower to your next-door neighbor because of an old argument, but on a much bigger scale!

• What did Syria do?: Shut down Iraqi pipelines through its land.

• In Exchange: Got free oil from Iran. Talk about barter system in action!