Both parties fell under strong Iranian influence when Saddam Hussein was ruthlessly persecuting Iraq 's Shiite majority and assassinating its main political and religious leaders .
Saddam Hussein /people/deceased_person/place_of_death Iraq
Saddam Hussein /people/person/nationality Iraq
Saddam Hussein /people/person/place_of_birth Iraq
DT NNS VBD IN JJ JJ NN WRB NNP NNP VBD RB VBG NNP POS JJ NN CC VBG PRP$ JJ JJ CC JJ NNS .
Saddam Hussein
PERSON
Iraq
LOCATION
/people/deceased_person/place_of_death
Saddam Hussein
PERSON
Iraq
LOCATION
/people/person/nationality
Saddam Hussein
PERSON
Iraq
LOCATION
/people/person/place_of_birth