Battle of Dezful

Infobox Military Conflict
conflict=Battle of Dezful
partof=Iran–Iraq War

location map|Iran|label=Dezful|lat_deg=32|lat_min=23|lon_deg=48|lon_min=24|caption=Location of the city of Dezful, Iran|float=right
caption=
date=Early January 1981
place=Dezful, southwest Iran
casus=Iraqi invasion of Iran
territory=Iraq occupies Dezful
result=Iraqi victory; Iranians forced to flee
combatant1=flagcountry|Iraq|1963
combatant2=flagcountry|Iran
combatant3=
commander1=
commander2=
commander3=
strength1=65,000-80,000
strength2=~30,000
strength3=
casualties1=
casualties2=
casualties3=
notes=Campaignbox Iran-Iraq WarThe Battle of Dezful, fought in early January 1981, was a major battle of the Iran-Iraq War.

Three small Iranian armored regiments advanced towards Iraqi forces who had invaded Iranian territory between the towns of Ahwaz and Susangerd. The Iraqi forces were alerted to this movement and feigned a withdrawal. The Iraqis formed three armored regiments into a three-sided box ambush. The Iranians blundered into the ambush and the two tank forces battled for four days in a sea of mud. The Iranians withdrew, leaving many tanks stuck in the mud, or, because of logistical misplanning, out of fuel and ammunition. The condition of the terrain prevented a clean break from the battle and did not allow the Iraqi forces to pursue what was left of the Iranians en force.