TEHRAN – The Associated Press on Wednesday sent a shockwave across Iran, with US President Donald Trump planning to declare the Persian Gulf under the term “Arabian Gulf” during his upcoming visit to Saudi Arabia.
This move, called “hostile” by Iranian officials, is being rebelled by unified Iranians around the world.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Aragut has quickly rejected attempts to rename the Persian Gulf.
He emphasized that the name is “deeply rooted in human history” and that while Iran accepts alternative geographical names like the Oman Sea and the Indian Ocean, efforts to change the name of the Persian Gulf are “a humiliation for all Iranians” and “bringing the wrath of all Iranians.”
Top Iranian diplomats also pointed out that leaders and cartographers had recognized the term for centuries until the 1960s, clearly marking the historical image of the Library of Congress, clearly attaching the “Persian Gulf” to highlight his point.
Araghchi’s predecessor, Javad Zarif, warned of reports that he used fake names for all patriotic Iranian outrage, regardless of political affiliation.
He argued that Iranian unified people do not support “myopia’s interests” in the world, particularly White House residents.
Parliamentary chair Mohammad Bagh Gallibahu took a practical stance by publishing historical maps of the Persian Gulf from the Parliamentary archives.
He said there are many of these maps so they can be freely distributed to all “delusional politicians.”
Ghalibaf pointed out that money can purchase material goods such as shoes and clothing, but cannot purchase history or geography, and rejects attempts to change established historical facts as both useless and unnecessary obstruction.
Iran’s Minister of Information and Communications Technology Satta Hashemi wrote, “The permanent name of the Persian Gulf will remain forever in the heart and soul of this corner of the world,” adding that “the history and credibility cannot be changed through bullying or political dealings.”
Another Iranian official, Abdulkarim Hosseinzadeh, said, “This attempt to distort reality ignores the principles of historical rationality and international law. The Persian Gulf is not just a name. It is part of the shared memory of human civilization.”
The backlash transcended political division. Social media broke out with hashtags like #persiangulf and #persiangulf4ever, but users flooded the platform with ancient maps and historical records.
“This will spark protests from millions of Iranians in the diaspora. Nothing can link Iranians more than defending the real names of the Persian Gulf,” predicted international law expert Leza Nasli.
Famous musician Ali Gamsari said, “Iran is neither Canada nor Greenland. Our people stand like a mountain behind history.”
“The Persian Gulf is not a matter of debate. It is a historical fact. For over 2,500 years since the rise of the Akemen Empire in 550 BC, this water south of the Iranian Heights has been known as the Persian Gulf,” the Iranian Plateau description writes.
A user in Iran tweeted: “If we could change the truth, Nasser (Gamar Abdel) and Saddam (Hussein) would have packed their lies decades ago.”
“This place is called the Persian Gulf. It was already known as the Persian Gulf long before the country named America existed. Changing its name is a historical forgery,” another user wrote.
Trump’s motivation: commercial, chaos, colonial resonance
Assuming the AP report is correct, we must ask why Trump chooses to deny centuries of historical and geographical consensus by promoting false sects to replace the Persian Gulf.
Analysts point to the confluence of factors that could reveal the calculated strategy. First, there is economic opportunism.
Trump’s economic interests and partnership with the Persian Gulf Arab monarchy are further highlighted by the financial incentives of his family and allies.
Affinity Partner, a private corporation of his son-in-law Jared Kushner, has secured a large sum of funds from West Asia, including a $2 billion investment from the Arab monarchy wealth fund.
Additionally, Trump’s sons are expanding business ventures across the region and raising concerns about how these deals will affect the president’s priorities.
This web of interest coincides with Saudi Arab Emirates and Qatar investments seeking to capitalize on US political influence, particularly as Trump supports an inflyni initiative that reflects Arab monarchy.
Equally important is the regional polarization factor. By stirring years of tensions between Iran and the Arab states, Trump appears to be intending to distract attention from the set-up he has experienced in promoting possible normalization between the Israeli regime and Saudi Arabia.
This manipulation not only shifts focus from these diplomatic challenges, but also provides a handy excuse to justify an increase in weapons sales, further entrenching his geopolitical attitude.
Finally, the legacy of colonial interference plays an important role. The manufactured term for the Persian Gulf suggests that, despite British diplomat Roderick Owen’s acceptance of the term’s long-standing historical use, dates back to 1958, advocating for its new “more polite” designation, it would appease Arab allies.
Later, during the oil nationalization crisis of the 1960s, British adviser Charles Belgrave skillfully deployed the term as a tool to destroy Iran-Arab relations.
This historic manipulation highlights that the remains of colonial influence continue to shape modern geopolitical narratives, particularly as Trump demonstrates historic revisionist preferences regarding the Gulf of Mexico, Canada, the Panama Canal and Greenland.
“This is not about geography, it’s about erasing Persian heritage in order to serve the modern agenda,” the Iranian historian wrote.
Among the regional countries, as “pan-Arabism” surged in the 1960s, the myth of fake names in the Persian Gulf gained traction.
The so-called “Arab nationalists” supported by the remnants of the British colonies tried to reduce the cultural shaking of Iran. The Arab League and the United Arab Emirates amplified the term despite no historical basis.
An indisputable historical record
The name of the Persian Gulf is engraved in the collective memories of humanity, with its roots growing deep into ancient times.
In the 5th century BC, Greek historian Herodotus called it “Persicus sinuses,” and the maps of Roman geographer Ptolemy recorded it as the “Persian sinuses.”
During the Golden Age of Islam, influential Arab scholars such as 12th-century Al-Idrisi and 14th-century Ibn Khaldun consistently used the term “Persian Gulf” in their writings to reinforce its historical significance.
In modern times, the lasting legacy of the name is even more solidified. Since 2006, the United Nations has mandated the “Persian Gulf” as its sole official term, firmly rejecting politicized alternatives.
Even the US military pays homage to this tradition. Veterans of the 1991 Persian Gulf War had the “Persian Gulf” engraved on their gravestones. This is evidence of its enduring cultural and historical importance.