Washington (Washington Insider Magazine) – Donald Trump plans to rename the Persian Gulf as the Arabian Gulf during his Saudi trip, sparking sharp criticism from Iran over the politically charged move.
As reported by The Guardian, the US president, during his visit to Saudi Arabia next week, plans to declare that the US will refer to the Persian Gulf as the “Arabian Gulf” or “Gulf of Arabia.”
Iran’s view on the US plan to rename the Persian Gulf
The decision has sparked strong opposition from Iranian officials. Iran’s foreign minister stated that naming the Middle Eastern waterways does not denote ownership by any specific country but rather symbolizes their significance as part of humanity’s shared heritage.
Abbas Araghchi stated, “Politically motivated attempts to alter the historically established name of the Persian Gulf are indicative of hostile intent toward Iran and its people, and are firmly condemned.”
He added, “Any short-sighted step in this connection will have no validity or legal or geographical effect, it will only bring the wrath of all Iranians from all walks of life and political persuasion in Iran, the US and across the world.”
Persian Gulf dispute escalate tensions in the Middle East
Arab nations are pressing for a new name for the waterway bordering Iran’s southern coast, but Tehran continues to assert its historical ties to the name Persian Gulf.
Two U.S. officials, who requested to remain unnamed, briefed the Associated Press about the issue. Meanwhile, the White House and National Security Council refused to respond to requests for comment.
The Persian Gulf has been widely recognized since the 16th century. However, terms like “Gulf of Arabia” and “Arabian Gulf” are used across the Middle East.
Iran’s warning to Google
The Iranian government warned Google in 2012. They stated that they would pursue legal action after the company chose not to include the Persian Gulf on its maps.
The Persian Gulf appears as “Persian Gulf” on Google Maps in the US. While Apple Maps exclusively uses the name Persian Gulf.
The US military has long used the term “Arabian Gulf” in its releases, bypassing the traditional “Persian Gulf.”
The issue came up in 2017 when President Trump called it the Arabian Gulf during his first term. Iranian President Hassan Rouhani responded, telling Trump to “study geography.”
President Trump can rename the body of water for official U.S. purposes. However, he has no authority over how other countries label it.
The US is a member of the International Hydrographic Organization. It works to survey and chart seas, oceans, and navigable waters globally.
The organisation aims to ensure these waters are uniformly mapped around the world. It is also responsible for naming some of them.
In some cases, nations use different names for the same body of water or landmark in their official records. Several months ago, Mr Trump revealed that the U.S. would call the Gulf of Mexico the “Gulf of America.”
Notable water name changes
- Bay of Bengal vs. Bengal Bay: Historical use of alternate name.
- Yellow Sea vs. East China Sea: Different regional names.
- Sea of Japan vs. East Sea: Dispute between Japan and South Korea.
