First it was the Gulf of America. Now Trump is eyeing off another change
Your web browser is no longer supported. To improve your experience update it here Donald Trump plans to announce while on his trip to Saudi Arabia next week that the United States will now refer to the Persian Gulf as the Arabian Gulf or the Gulf of Arabia, according to two US officials. Arab nations have pushed for a change to the geographic name of the body of water off the southern coast of Iran, while Iran has maintained its historic ties to the gulf. The two US officials spoke with The Associated Press this week on condition of anonymity to discuss the matter. The White House and National Security Council did not immediately respond to messages seeking comment. This August 2023 photo released by the Iranian Revolutionary Guard shows speedboats during a drill in the Persian Gulf. (CNN) When asked about the name change at an Oval Office event, Trump told reporters that he would "have to make a decision" during his Middle East trip . "They're going to ask me about that when I get there, and I'll have to make a decision," Trump said. "I don't want to hurt anybody's feelings. I don't know if feelings are going to be hurt." Trump added that he was "going to be given a briefing" regarding plans on renaming the gulf, adding he would make a decision after that. Arab nations have long pushed for the Persian Gulf, the body of water off the southern coast of Iran, to be renamed to reflect their countries. But Trump's comments appear to acknowledge that the Iranians , who have long pushed for the body of water off the southern cost of their country to continue being referred to as the Persian Gulf, will vehemently oppose to such a move. A spat developed in 2017 during Trump's first term when he used the name Arabian Gulf for the waterway. Iran's president at the time, Hassan Rouhani, suggested Trump needed to 'study geography". Donald Trump will visit a number of Middle East nations on his first official overseas tour next week. (Bloomberg) 'Everyone knew Trump's friendship was for sale to the highest bidder. We now know that his geography is, too,' Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif wrote online at the time. Overnight, Iran's current foreign minister also weighed in, saying that names of Mideast waterways do 'not imply ownership by any particular nation, but rather reflects a shared respect for the collective heritage of humanity.' 'Politically motivated attempts to alter the historically established name of the Persian Gulf are indicative of hostile intent toward Iran and its people, and are firmly condemned,' Abbas Araghchi wrote on X. "Any short-sighted step in this connection will have no validity or legal or geographical effect, it will only bring the wrath of all Iranians from all walks of life and political persuasion in Iran, the US and across the world." The Persian Gulf has been widely known by that name since the 16th century, although usage of 'Gulf of Arabia' and 'Arabian Gulf' is dominant in many countries in the Middle East. The government of Iran — formerly Persia — threatened to sue Google in 2012 over the company's decision not to label the body of water at all on its maps. On Google Maps in the US, the body of water appears as Persian Gulf (Arabian Gulf). Apple Maps only says the Persian Gulf. The US military for years has unilaterally referred to the Persian Gulf as the Arabian Gulf in statements and images it releases. The name of the body of water has become an emotive issue for Iranians who embrace their country's long history as the Persian Empire. Trump can change the name for official US purposes, but he can't dictate what the rest of the world calls it. The International Hydrographic Organisation — of which the United States is a member — works to ensure all the world's seas, oceans and navigable waters are surveyed and charted uniformly, and also names some of them. There are instances where countries refer to the same body of water or landmark by different names in their own documentation. In addition to Saudi Arabia, Trump is also set to visit Doha, Qatar and Abu Dhabi, the capital of the United Arab Emirates, which also lie on the body of water. Originally planned as Trump's first trip overseas since he took office on January 20, it comes as Trump has tried to draw closer to the Gulf countries as he seeks their financial investment in the US and support in regional conflicts, including resolving the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza and limiting Iran's advancing nuclear program. The US president also has significant financial ties to the countries through his personal businesses, over which he has retained ownership from the Oval Office. The Associated Press sued the Trump administration earlier this year after the White House barred its journalists from covering most events because of the organisation's decision not to follow the president's executive order to rename the Gulf of Mexico as the 'Gulf of America' within the United States. US District Judge Trevor N. McFadden, an appointee of President Donald Trump, ruled last month that the First Amendment protects the AP from government retaliation over its word choice and ordered the outlet's access to be reinstated. World
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