Ba'athist Iraq reducing international oil prices, further weakened the Iraqi economy. In response to this, Saddam threatened Kuwait that, unless it reduced its oil output, Iraq would invade. Negotiations broke down, and on 2 August 1990, Iraq launched an invasion of Kuwait. The resulting international response led to the Persian Gulf War, which Iraq lost. The United Nations (UN) initiated economic sanctions in the war's aftermath to weaken the Ba'athist Iraqi regime. The country's economic conditions worsened during the 1990s, and at the turn of the 21st century, Iraq's economy started to grow again as several states ignored the UN's sanctions. In
Transport in Kuwait railway projects being planned. Kuwait City would form one terminus of the proposed Gulf Railway, a railway network which will run from Kuwait to Oman, via cities across the Persian Gulf.A four line, , metro network within Kuwait city is also in the planning stages. A privately owned railway track of unknown length is proposed as part of a park project called "The Boulevard". This park is opened in April 2016, but the railway project did not materialize. The Kuwait Metropolitan Rapid Transit System Project is a planned four-line metro network which will total 160 km with 69 stations. It