WI: Iran offered military cooperation with US/Coalition forces against Iraq in 1991?

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?
 
There were objective strategic reasons, no matter the political color of the regime in power, for Iran not offering cooperation to the US in the 1990/91 Gulf war.

Iran did not want more US presence in the Middle East, even less just at its door. The same way China, whatever its regime, did not want US presence in Korea up to the Yalu river or Russia, whatever its regime, does not want or does not like (when it already has it) US presence in Ukraine, Georgia, Poland and the Baltic countries.

Now, if Iranian leadership loses common strategic sense and offers cooperation the same way as most Arab countries in the region OTL did, it seems highly probable that the outcome will be a temporary improvement in relationships and the a return to the structural collision course.

That’s what happened with Syria who was member of the US-led coalition in 1990/91.

Edit : The 2003 Iranian offer was logically rejected since the US did not want to share political influence over Irak with Iran.
The US gross mistake was that destroying Saddam Hussein’s minority supported dictatorship would unavoidably bring to power the Iraqi Shi’a majority which naturally leant towards Shi’a Iran.
So Iran has been very influential in Iraq since 2003.
 
Last edited:
"an enemy of my enemy is my friend"-oriented foreign policy is certainly not alien to Bush and his advisors. I don't see him declining...
 
"an enemy of my enemy is my friend"-oriented foreign policy is certainly not alien to Bush and his advisors. I don't see him declining...
Yes, but even though Papa Bush was a pragmatic man, Iran still remembers the USA as an adversary from the Iranian Revolution and the Iran-Iraq war (the USA supported both sides behind the scenes, but only to have them bleed each other out). Also, the failed Operation: Eagle Claw didn't endear the nations to each other. Iran is still going to be bitter about... well, a lot of things, to be honest.
 
Yes, but even though Papa Bush was a pragmatic man, Iran still remembers the USA as an adversary from the Iranian Revolution and the Iran-Iraq war (the USA supported both sides behind the scenes, but only to have them bleed each other out). Also, the failed Operation: Eagle Claw didn't endear the nations to each other. Iran is still going to be bitter about... well, a lot of things, to be honest.
That's why it's unlikely this would be possible if it was the US asking for Iran's help. If Iran made the offer, though, I don't see why the US would decline.
 
That's why it's unlikely this would be possible if it was the US asking for Iran's help. If Iran made the offer, though, I don't see why the US would decline.
Okay, true. Just that it would be unlikely that Iran would offer in the first place - though it was almost certainly gloating at how Saddam got a Yankee boot so far up his ass you can read "made in the USA/China" on his tongue in the treads.
 
If Iran offers its assistance the Arab nations particularly Saudi Arabia would be pleading with the US to reject it. One thing to have your religious adversary across the bay another to have him on your doorstep.
 
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.

Minor nitpick, but the alleged offer never actually occurred; IIRC it was a myth that was claimed to exist during the 2004 campaign.
 
Top