Trump's Persian Gulf name change sparks Iranian backlash
The Iranian Foreign Minister, Abbas Araghchi, has urged US authorities not to change the name "Persian Gulf" to "Arabian Gulf." According to the minister, such an action would have political motives and be deeply offensive to Iranians worldwide.
What do you need to know?
- Donald Trump plans to change the name of the Persian Gulf to the Arabian Gulf.
- The Iranian Foreign Minister, Abbas Araghchi, has appealed to the US not to make this decision.
- The Associated Press agency noted that the decision coincides with Trump's planned visit to Saudi Arabia.
Araghchi emphasised that the name "Persian Gulf" is deeply rooted in history and was recognised by international institutions and regional leaders until the 1960s. The minister stressed that attempts to change this historically established name indicate hostile intentions towards Iran and its citizens, which is reprehensible.
Araghchi expressed his belief that changing the name would not affect the geography or legal significance of the region. "Let's hope that the absurd rumours about the PERSIAN Gulf that are going around are no more than a disinformation campaign by 'forever warriors' to anger Iranians all over the world and agitate them," wrote the Iranian diplomat.
"I am confident that Donald Trump is aware that the name PERSIAN Gulf is centuries old and recognised by all cartographers and international bodies and was even used by all leaders of the region in their official communications until as recently as 1960's," he added.
The Iran International portal recalled reports that US President Donald Trump plans to use the term "Arabian Gulf" during his upcoming visit to Saudi Arabia.
Trump wants to change the name
President Donald Trump intends to announce in the coming week that the United States will use the name Arabian Gulf instead of Persian Gulf, according to the AP agency.
Two officials from the American administration, who wished to remain anonymous, informed AP that soon, Arabian Gulf is to become commonly used instead of Persian Gulf. The media emphasise that this move is in response to appeals from the Arab countries located around this body of water. However, Tehran is not changing its stance and continues to maintain historical ties with the gulf, including its name.
Experts emphasise that the US administration seeks to strengthen relations with the countries of the Persian Gulf. Washington aims to attract investments to the United States and to gain support in regional conflicts, such as the war between Israel and Hamas or curbing Iran's nuclear potential.
History of the name "Persian Gulf"
The Persian Gulf, connected to the Arabian Sea through the Strait of Hormuz and the Gulf of Oman, has Iran, formerly known as Persia, on its northern shore, and Arab countries on its southern and western shores. In the 1960s, as these countries began to compete with Iran for influence in the region, they started using the name "Arabian Gulf" (al-Khalij al-Arabi).
This topic resurfaces from time to time, such as in 2010 when the Iranian Ministry of Transport ordered airlines to use the designation "Persian Gulf" on flight monitors, warning that carriers ignoring this demand might lose the right to use routes leading to Iran.
