Extensive international aid, especially from great powers and Arab countries, strengthened Iraq' s military, economic and intelligence power during the eight years of the imposed war and caused Iraq to continue the attritional and long war against Iran.

Iraq' s war against Iran began while the situation of the two countries was very different. Iran' s armed forces lacked necessary cohesion and this country received no support from abroad. In contrast, Iraq entered the war with political, economic and military support of more than 80 countries of the world and during the war these aids increased.⁠[1]

The Soviet Union, France and China were the three main suppliers of Iraq' s weapons.

Most of the Iraqi army' s equipment was purchased from the socialist Soviet Union a decade before the start of the war. The most advanced warplanes, helicopters, tanks and other weapons were among the armaments the Soviets sent to Iraq. In addition, Soviet army commanders with presence in Baghdad provided necessary training to the Iraqi army. 85 percent of equipment used by Iraq was Soviet-made. 400 T-55 tanks, 300 Scud-B ground-to-ground missiles, 1000 T-62 tanks, 500 advanced T-72 tanks and nearly 200 various MiG aircraft were only part of Soviet aids to Iraq in the imposed war with Iran.⁠[2] The Soviet intelligence service also provided much information about maps and positions of aircraft hangars of Iranian air bases to Iraq.⁠[3] From 1986 to 1988 about 9 billion dollars of weapons including 2000 tanks, 300 fighter aircraft and 300 Scud missiles were given by the Soviets to Iraq. With these weapons, increasing military power formed in the Iraqi army and it launched extensive attacks on Iran.⁠[4]

France like the Soviets gave warplanes, helicopters, missiles and missile systems, artillery and radar equipment to Iraq.⁠[5] Iraq bought anti-tank missiles, anti-aircraft defense systems and helicopters from France.⁠[6] In autumn 1983, France gave 5 Super Etendard aircraft to Iraq which attacked Iranian oil tankers at Kharg Island oil terminal with Exocet missiles.⁠[7] In total, France sold 133 Mirage fighters to Saddam and received 2.5 billion dollars in return.⁠[8] Iraq carried out its first successful attack on Kharg oil terminal with Mirage fighters.⁠[9] Delivery of French weapons to Iraq was almost daily and Chateauroux airport in central France had become the loading place of Iraq' s giant Antonov cargo aircraft. French weapons shipments to Iraq had become so large that almost in mid-1986 even civilian aircraft of Baghdad-Paris airlines carried weapons to Iraq.⁠[10]

China also sent weapons to Iraq during the imposed war.⁠[11] This country sold 4 H-40 bombers, 6 F-6 fighters, 80 F-7 fighters, 200 Silkworm anti-ship missiles, 650 Model-63 amphibious APCs and 1600 Model-69 tanks to Iraq.⁠[12] Iraq used Chinese tanks both as heavy artillery and as armored personnel carriers and if a tank broke down, it abandoned it and bought a new tank, because tanks were provided to this country at very cheap prices.

Iraq during the war bought billions of dollars of advanced equipment from Egypt; after Anwar Sadat also, President Hosni Mubarak continued support of Saddam and during the 1980s⁠[13] provided 3.5 billion dollars of missiles and weapons to Saddam.⁠[14]

Belgium and Italy also by sending advanced anti-armor missiles and helping Iraq in building long-range artillery were among Iraq' s supporters.⁠[15] Italy also provided PRC-638 and PRC-439 radios and England provided Racal radios to Iraq.⁠[16]

In production of chemical and missile weapons, German technology was provided to Iraq more than other weapons. From 1982 to 1990, 68 German companies undertook supply of equipment and infrastructural affairs of Iraq' s military program. Iraq in September 1983 with the help of German companies launched the chemical materials factory complex in Samarra where production of mustard gas began in December 1983. These gases were first used extensively against Iranian forces in Kheibar Operation. Also with German technology, Iraq could start production of Scud missiles.⁠[17]

Iraq also received human force help from Egypt, Jordan and Sudan; these countries provided labor and mercenaries to fight for the Iraqi army.⁠[18]

In intelligence, the CIA (America) from late March 1982 (early Farvardin 1361)⁠[19] provided satellite images and precise military intelligence to Iraq. It is said these images were so precise that they showed wrong movements of an Iranian soldier in Iran' s training barracks and in parades. American satellites monitored Iranian movements in fronts and provided information on movement of tanks, artillery and boats to displacement of Iranian headquarters and even results of Iraqi air and missile attacks on Iran to Saddam.⁠[20] As an example on 3 March 1988 (late Esfand 1366), the CIA gave information about withdrawal of Iranian forces from east of Arvand Rud to Iraq⁠[21] which was effective in Iraq' s recapture operation of Faw.⁠[22] America also helped Iraq' s armed forces by selling helicopters worth 200 million dollars. This was America' s only direct military sale to Iraq during the war. At the same time America covertly supported Iraq significantly. The CIA indirectly checked the origin of weapons reaching Iraq to ensure this country has enough military power, weapons, ammunition and vehicles to confront Iran.⁠[23]

Comparison of Iraq and Iran combat power at the end of the war well shows inequalities during the Sacred Defense years. When ceasefire was established between these two countries, the number of Iraqi military personnel exceeded one million and this meant Saddam had been able to quadruple his military forces in eight years. Money needed for this was provided by Saudi Arabia and Kuwait.⁠[24] Iraq borrowed about 60 billion dollars from foreign countries to continue the war against Iran, at least 40 billion dollars of which was from Arab countries including 14 billion dollars from Kuwait. Also Persian Gulf emirates provided almost 30 billion dollars, i. e. more than half of Iraq' s financial aids.⁠[25] Of course the Soviets, France, West Germany, Japan and finally America also provided financial credits to Iraq.⁠[26]

At the end of the imposed war, the number of Iraqi aircraft doubled. Iraq at the end of the war had 600 fighter aircraft⁠[27] which hundreds of them were Russian and French.⁠[28] Iraq with acquisition of huge amounts of modern conventional and unconventional weapons could increase the strength of its army ground forces from 27 divisions to 50 divisions.⁠[29]