Washington DC: US President Donald Trump has revealed that he will decide on how the United States refers to the ‘Persian Gulf’ during his upcoming visit to Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
Speaking to reporters at the White House, Trump stated that he expected his hosts to ask about the name the US uses for the waterway during his first Middle East trip since regaining the presidency.
In response to a question, Trump said that, “I’ll have to make a decision,” and added that he did not want to hurt anyone’s feelings. He expressed uncertainty about whether his decision would offend but reassured that he would receive a briefing on the issue before making his final choice.
Reports from US media outlets suggest that Trump is expected to announce during his May 13-16 trip that the United States will begin referring to the waterway as the Arabian Gulf or Gulf of Arabia.
The name of the waterway has long been a source of tension between Arab nations and Iran. Iran maintains that ‘Persian Gulf’ is the correct term, based on historical evidence, including ancient maps, which show the water body as part of Iranian territory.
On the other hand, countries like Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Iraq, and other Arab states refer to it as the ‘Arabian Gulf’ or simply ‘the Gulf.’
In 2023, Iran summoned the Iraqi ambassador to protest Iraq’s use of the term ‘Arabian Gulf Cup’ for the region’s prominent football tournament. In 2012, Iran even threatened to sue Google for omitting the name of the waterway on its online map services, calling the absence an affront to their national heritage.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has strongly condemned the recent suggestions of a name change, warning that it would reflect ‘hostile intent toward Iran and its people’ and provoke widespread anger among Iranians.
Araghchi expressed his concerns in a post on X, calling the rumors an ‘absurd disinformation campaign’ aimed at agitating Iranians worldwide.
This latest development follows Trump’s executive order, in which he signed a directive to rename the Gulf of Mexico to the ‘Gulf of America,’ further demonstrating his approach to altering geographical terminology.
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