Underway on 2 June 1979, in company with , "Barry" sailed for the Suez Canal, transiting the waterway on 6 June en route to Djibouti. After a refueling stop, and detaching from Sampson, she proceeded on to Karachi, Pakistan, for a routine port visit. On arrival 16 June, she wore the flag of Rear Admiral Samuel H. Packer II, Commander Middle East Forces. Due to the revolutionary events in Iran, the Islamic Republic having been declared 1 April, "Barry"s next orders deployed her into the Persian Gulf to support American civilians/personnel in Iran and reassure friendly countries in the region. Arriving at Bahrain on 23 June, she underwent repair availability before starting patrol operations in the Persian Gulf on 4 July. After a port visit to Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, she conducted surveillance and counter-terrorist patrols in the Straits of Hormuz. Joined by the Sultanate of Oman Navy in these patrols, interspersed with fuel stops at Muscat, Oman and Sitrah, Bahrain, continued until 31 July when "Barry" departed for Djibouti. After a brief fuel stop, she visited Victoria, Seychelles, for a port visit before rendezvousing with "Sampson" and on 20 August for return to the Mediterranean. She transited the Suez Canal on 25 August and then visited Barcelona, Spain, eventually rejoined BG-2 at Rota, Spain. Underway for Mayport, Florida, soon after the destroyer arrived home 21 September for post-deployment leave and upkeep. The remainder of the year was spent conducting local operations out of Mayport and preparations for a scheduled overhaul the following year.