Birmingham was also one of the first ships together with Ardent that served in the Persian Gulf on the Armilla patrol that protected oil supplies during the Iran–Iraq War in 1980.

In 1985 she took part in Standing Naval Force Mediterranean, calling at Gibraltar, Palma de Mallorca, Naples, & Messina.

After a refit at Rosyth dockyard, she returned to Portsmouth in 1988 for sea trials and re-acceptance to the fleet.

Commanded by Roy Clare, Director of the Maritime Museum in London (2006–7), her first deployment post-refit was a tour to the Persian Gulf region, returning in March 1989.

In July 1990, whilst on deployment as part of the West Indies Guard Ship, Birmingham, supported by RFA Oakleaf was ordered to sail from Florida to Trinidad in response to the Jamaat al Muslimeen coup attempt, in which Islamist fundamentalists had taken hostages.