In OTL, Iran refrained from participating in the United States' ousting of the Iraqi military from Kuwait following Saddam Hussein's invasion in 1990. It did so largely because it was wary of possibly continuing its devastating and traumatic eight-year-long war against Iraq, a war in which the United States (along with the Soviet Union) virtually subsidized the Iraqi military, despite Iraq's unambiguous culpability for the conflict taking place at all. There were ample reasons for Iran to stay out of what was seen by them as an imperialist war rather than a war against the Tikriti regime per say.
However, what if Iran actually offered joint assistance with the U.S. in prosecuting the war against Iraq in '91? Would Bush Sr. feel at all compelled to take them up on this offer, and perhaps see it in good faith as a serious gesture towards rapprochement which he would reciprocate? We know that Iran during the Khatami Administration offered the U.S. assistance in its occupation of Iraq following the 2003 invasion as being part of a so-called "grand bargain" that would include an end to sanctions and a path for reestablishing diplomatic relations. However, Bush II off-handedly rejected this, as he had already designated Iran as being part of the "axis of evil" coupled with the hubristic belief that the post-invasion occupation would be a cakewalk.
Those factors may not have been at play for Bush I during the First Gulf War, not knowing just how successful Desert Storm would actually be. So if Iran did offer even a co-belligerent tacit alliance, would the U.S. be likely to take it up?
However, what if Iran actually offered joint assistance with the U.S. in prosecuting the war against Iraq in '91? Would Bush Sr. feel at all compelled to take them up on this offer, and perhaps see it in good faith as a serious gesture towards rapprochement which he would reciprocate? We know that Iran during the Khatami Administration offered the U.S. assistance in its occupation of Iraq following the 2003 invasion as being part of a so-called "grand bargain" that would include an end to sanctions and a path for reestablishing diplomatic relations. However, Bush II off-handedly rejected this, as he had already designated Iran as being part of the "axis of evil" coupled with the hubristic belief that the post-invasion occupation would be a cakewalk.
Those factors may not have been at play for Bush I during the First Gulf War, not knowing just how successful Desert Storm would actually be. So if Iran did offer even a co-belligerent tacit alliance, would the U.S. be likely to take it up?