CNN
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President Donald Trump is planning on starting the US to call the Persian Gulf the Arabian Gulf or the Arabian Gulf, two administration officials familiar with the debate told CNN.
The expected announcement will be linked to a trip to the Middle East next week, where he will visit Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates, officials said. They added that conversations about the changes are ongoing and it is still unclear when the president will announce them.
The Associated Press first reported on Trump’s plans.
The Arab countries have long been renamed to reflect their country, pushing away the Persian Gulf, a body of water off the southern coast of Iran. However, the change could anger the previous Persian Iranian government, which had insisted on behalf of maintaining the original name.
The Iranian foreign minister warned on Wednesday that such steps would “provoke the wrath of all Iranians from all life and political persuasion in Iran, the United States and around the world.”
“I am confident that @Realdonaldtrump recognizes that the name of the Persian Gulf is centuries old, recognized by all cartographers and international organizations, and was used by all local leaders in official communications in recent and in the 1960s.”
“The myopia steps associated with this have no effectiveness or legal or geographical effect, but they only bring out the rage of all Iranians from all life and political persuasion in Iran, the United States and around the world,” he added.
Earlier this year, Trump signed executive action to rename the Gulf of Mexico. It is listed as “American Bay” by Google Maps for US-based users.
House Republicans are trying to codify the name change, but they are bumping into some resistance within their ranks.
The White House’s name change also led to a dispute with the Associated Press, which led to court involvement. As a global news outlet with customers around the world, the AP said it will continue to use the name “Gulf of Mexico” in its news coverage and influential stylebook, while acknowledging the new “American Gulf.”
This is a developing story and will be updated.