On February 9 1986 , Iran launched Motion Operation Dawn 8 , a sophisticated and carefully planned amphibious assault Attack across the Shatt al-Arab ( Arvand Rud ) river against the Iraqi troops defending Defending the strategic al-Faw Peninsula , which connects Connect Iraq to the Persian Gulf .

The war Military_operation also followed a long history of border disputes , and Iraq planned Arranging to annex Becoming_a_member the oil-rich Khuzestan Province and the east bank of the Arvand Rud ( Shatt al-Arab ) .

The 2004 Iranian seizure Arrest of Royal Navy personnel took place Process_start in the Shatt al-Arab ( Arvand Rud in Persian ) waterway on 21 June .

The Royal Navy boats were operating Control close to the northern coast of the Persian Gulf in the mouth of the Shatt al-Arab waterway which divides southern Iran and Iraq .