President Donald Trump is making plans for the United States government to adopt the name "Arabian Gulf" or "Gulf of Arabia" for the body of water currently known as the Persian Gulf, according to reports from administration officials.
The expected announcement coincides with the President's upcoming trip to the Middle East. The itinerary includes visits to Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates. These nations share coastline along the gulf and have advocated for the name change.
President Trump addressed the matter when asked by reporters, stating he would "have to make a decision" during his trip. He noted that he was scheduled to receive a briefing on the potential renaming before deciding.
The proposed change directly impacts Iran, located on the northern coast of the Persian Gulf. Iran strongly asserts its historical connection to the waterway and vehemently opposes any alteration of its established name.
Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi condemned the reported plan. He called it "politically motivated attempts to alter the historically established name of the Persian Gulf" which show "hostile intent toward Iran and its people."
Mr. Araghchi also noted the name Persian Gulf "is deeply rooted in human history" and recognized by international bodies and cartographers. He stated that previous regional leaders used the name until the 1960s.
The United States military has used the term "Arabian Gulf" in some official contexts for years. The potential shift in official US government terminology follows previous efforts by the Trump administration to rename geographic features.
Earlier, President Trump signed an executive action to rename the Gulf of Mexico as the Gulf of America for US-based users on platforms like Google Maps. This move faced challenges, including resistance among House Republicans and a legal dispute with The Associated Press over its news coverage style. AP first reportAP ban dispute((Source))
Vice President JD Vance recently previewed upcoming US-Iran nuclear talks set to take place in Oman. The name controversy emerges as the US continues diplomatic efforts regarding Iran's nuclear program.Iranian officials have reacted strongly to past instances of US officials using the term "Arabian Gulf." In 2017, then-President Hassan Rouhani suggested President Trump needed to study geography after he used the term.
