ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Iran–Iraq relations

Iran and Iraq are two countries that are next to each other in the Middle East. Now, in the past, these two countries haven't always got along like friends. They used to have some conflicts that would sometimes turn into wars.

Sometimes the conflicts were about religion, because Iran is mostly made up of Muslims who follow different beliefs than the Muslims in Iraq. Sometimes the conflicts were also about politics and power. For example, in the 1980s, Iraq started a war with Iran because they wanted to take over a disputed area on their border. The war lasted for eight long years, and both countries suffered a lot. Many people died, and the places where they lived were destroyed because of the fighting.

After that war ended, the two countries made some agreements to try and get along better. But, they still have some disagreements from time to time. One big issue is about the control of oil. Both countries have a lot of oil, and they want to have power over it. They also have different views on their relationships with other countries in the region and the world.

So, in summary, Iran and Iraq have had some conflicts in the past that were sometimes about religion and sometimes about power. They have been trying to get along better, but still have some issues they need to work on.