Trump is reportedly planning to rename the Persian Gulf to the Gulf of Arabia, which will cause a global uproar

Trump has raised suspicions about geopolitical motivations by announcing that the Persian Gulf will now be known as the Gulf of Arabia.

According to two U.S. officials, President Donald Trump intends to declare during his visit to Saudi Arabia next week that the Persian Gulf would now be known as the Arabian Gulf or the Gulf of Arabia.

While Iran has preserved its historical connections to the gulf, Arab countries have campaigned for a change in the body of water’s geographic designation off the southern Iranian coast.

The two US officials discussed the issue in an interview with The Associated Press on Tuesday under the condition of anonymity. Messages seeking response were not immediately answered by the National Security Council or the White House.

Although the terms “Gulf of Arabia” and “Arabian Gulf” are more commonly used in several Middle Eastern nations, the Persian Gulf has been commonly referred to by that name since the 16th century. In 2012, the Iranian government, which was then known as Persia, threatened to sue Google for failing to designate the body of water on its maps.

The body of water is shown as the Persian Gulf Arabian Gulf on US Google Maps. Only the Persian Gulf is shown on Apple Maps.

In its remarks and photos, the US military has been unilaterally calling the Persian Gulf the Arabian Gulf for years.

For Iranians who appreciate their nation’s lengthy history as the Persian Empire, the name of the body of water has taken on an emotional significance. When Trump named the waterway the Arabian Gulf during his first term in office, a rift arose. Hassan Rouhani, the president of Iran at the time, said Trump should “study geography.”

Everyone was aware that Trump’s friendship was up for grabs. At the moment, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif posted on the internet, “We now know that his geography is, too.”

Iran’s current foreign minister similarly voiced his opinion on Wednesday, stating that the names of waterways in the Middle East “reflect a shared respect for the collective heritage of humanity, rather than imply ownership by any particular nation.”

“We strongly condemn politically motivated attempts to change the Persian Gulf’s historically established name, as they demonstrate hostile intent toward Iran and its people,” Abbas Araghchi posted on the social media site X.

“Any shortsighted action in this regard will not be valid and will not have any geographical or legal impact; it will only incite the anger of Iranians of all political persuasions and backgrounds in Iran, the US, and around the world.”

Although Trump has the authority to alter the name for official US purposes, he has no control over what the rest of the world names it.

The United States is a member of the International Hydrographic Organization, which strives to guarantee that all of the world’s seas, oceans, and navigable waters are uniformly surveyed, mapped, and named. In certain cases, nations use distinct names in their own paperwork to refer to the same location or body of water.

Trump is scheduled to travel to Doha, Qatar, and Abu Dhabi, the capital of the United Arab Emirates, which are also located on the water, in addition to Saudi Arabia. was initially scheduled to be Trump’s first international trip since he assumed office in January.

20 It coincides with Trump’s efforts to strengthen ties with the Gulf nations in order to secure their financial support for the US and assistance in regional disputes, such as settling the Israel-Hamas conflict in Gaza and curbing Iran’s developing nuclear program.

Through his personal companies, which he has kept ownership of from the Oval Office, the US president also maintains strong financial ties to the nations.

The action was taken months after Trump declared that the United States would call the Gulf of Mexico the Gulf of America.

Earlier this year, the Associated Press filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration after the White House prohibited its reporters from reporting on most events due to the organization’s refusal to comply with the president’s executive order to rename the Gulf of Mexico the “Gulf of America” in the United States.

Last month, US District Judge Trevor N. McFadden, a Trump appointment, decided that the AP is protected by the First Amendment from government reprisals for its word choice and ordered the restoration of the outlet’s access.