Bas‧ra /ˈbæzrə/
the second largest city of Iraq and the country's main port, on the Shatt al-Arab river near the Persian Gulf. It was a centre of opposition to Saddam Hussein during the first Gulf War, and after heavy fighting during the invasion of Iraq in 2003, it was under the control of British forces from 2003 to 2007.

[TahlilGaran] Dictionary of Contemporary English ▲