The Dhofar Rebellion in Oman that raged between 1962 and 1976 attracted foreign mercenaries to help fight the Marxist guerillas who were threatening the regime of the British-educated Sultan Qaboos bin Said al-Said. This war attracted soldiers with combat experience, who were recruited into battlefield leadership roles to shore up the Sultan's regime and to help prevent the key oil-exporting Strait of Hormuz from falling under communist control. Attached to the Iranian Brigade as a liaison officer Clark was wounded during a successful bid to save Iranian soldiers caught in a battle during the rebellion.