During the Imposed War, bombing and capture of Darbandikhan Dam in Iraqi Kurdistan, as the largest dam of this country and source of electricity production, was among Iran objectives.

Darbandikhan Dam with capacity of two and a half billion cubic meters (eleven times Karaj Dam) is the largest dam of Iraq.⁠[1] This dam is a multipurpose earth dam and built on Diyala River in Darbandikhan village north of Sulaymaniyah Province of Iraq. Purpose of building this dam was irrigation, flood control, hydroelectric production and recreation. After Harza Engineering Company in America designed this dam, its construction began in 1956. Impoundment of dam reservoir started in November 1961 and in the same year, dam was fully filled. After filling reservoir, several problems arose. Including in 1967, a large gap about 100 meters upstream of dam occurred which was repaired.⁠[2]

With the beginning of the Imposed War, Darbandikhan Dam became one of targets of Iranian Army Air Force. On 5 October 1980 fighters of Tabriz 2nd Tactical Air Base bombed facilities and electric energy resources of this dam.⁠[3]

Long after liberation of Khorramshahr (June 1982) in spring 1983, attention of commanders was drawn to Iraqi Darbandikhan Dam and heights around it. Capture of highlands of region would provide Iranian forces with possibility of dominating considerable part of enemy army actions deep inside Iraqi soil. Darbandikhan Dam was also another objective of this operation. This dam had much deterrent value and importance because threatening enemy by managing water behind dam was an important factor in preventing Baathi enemy bombardments and missile attacks against human and economic targets in urban and rural regions of Iran. However finally this operation was canceled due to rocky nature of part of region land, limitation of solutions for operation, lack of road and logistical rear.⁠[4]

On 14 March 1988 Valfajr 10 Operation was carried out with aim of liberating some cities of Sulaymaniyah Province of Iraq including Halabja and Khurmal and also threatening Darbandikhan Dam and facilitating its capture.⁠[5] This operation in addition to liberating Halabja and capturing several heights of region, caused Iranian forces to approach Darbandikhan Dam facilities. This matter caused war designers in Iran to think of another operation in this region and capture of heights overlooking dam⁠[6] and it was decided with aim of capturing lands south of Darbandikhan Lake, Beit al-Moqaddas 4 Operation be carried out in this region.⁠[7]

Objective of this operation was capture of Shakh Sourmer, Shakh Shamiran, Bardekan, Zimnakouh heights and Tolbi (Shamiran) plain and from Tamourzhan height, i. e. from north to south and opposite arrangement of Iraqi defensive positions in lands south of Darbandikhan Lake was determined; combatants had to cross by boat from southeastern branch of Darbandikhan Lake and attack enemy positions.⁠[8]

10th Seyyed al-Shohada (PBUH), 27th Mohammad Rasoulallah (PBUH), 155th Special Shohada, 57th Hazrat Abolfazl (PBUH) Divisions and 18th Alghadir Brigade from IRGC carried out this operation.⁠[9] Isfahan Havanirouz support group also for evacuation of wounded, transfer of forces and ammunition and execution of support fire was placed under Fath Headquarters of IRGC.⁠[10] Beit al-Moqaddas 4 Operation began on 25 March 1988 with code Ya Aba Abdillah (PBUH)⁠[11] and ended after 5 days.⁠[12]

In Valfajr 10 Operation and Beit al-Moqaddas 4 Operation during which Iranian combatants were stationed on shore of Darbandikhan Dam lake, possibility of dam explosion was strengthened. Even Iraqi government which suspected Iran would use this golden opportunity to deal a heavy blow to Iraq, carried out maneuvers in Baghdad to be prepared in case of such event, but political officials and military decision-makers of Iran never undertook such actions,⁠[13] because Imam Khomeini opposed this action due to harm to Iraqi people.⁠[14]

During the Imposed War of Iraq against Iran, spillway section of Darbandikhan Dam and other parts of dam were damaged due to bombardment. In 1990 also dam power plant was damaged due to bombardment by Iraqi Army forces. After war, bed under dam and rock barrier upstream of dam were repaired in 1999 and 2000. Between 1983 and 1985 turbines of dam power plant were replaced by German and Japanese companies. Main 2× 800 kilowatt generators were replaced with 83 megawatt generators of current power plant. These generators were launched in 1990 after political situation in Iraq calmed.

Due to weakness in construction and negligence, this dam and its 249-megawatt power plant have undergone several repairs over past years. In 2007, World Bank started a 35.36 million dollar project to repair Darbandikhan and Dokan dams of Iraq. Repairs of Darbandikhan Dam cost 18.85 million dollars and completed in 2013.⁠[15]