In response to the loss of the al-Faw Peninsula during the Iran–Iraq War, Saddam Hussein pushed into Iran to seize an Iranian city to trade for the strategically important territory. He was able to seize the city of Mehran in May 1986. He then offered to trade it for al-Faw, but instead of negotiating, the Iranians were able to reoccupy the city in June 1986, humiliating Saddam.