Iran Condemns U.S. Plan to Rename Persian Gulf to Arabian Gulf or Gulf of Arabia Amid Trump's Saudi Visit

Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif and other Iranian officials have strongly condemned any attempts to rename the Persian Gulf, asserting that such actions are politically motivated and indicative of hostile intent toward Iran. The name Persian Gulf, they argue, is deeply rooted in history and recognized globally. The controversy stems from reports that U.S. President Donald Trump plans to announce during his upcoming trip to Saudi Arabia that the U.S. will refer to the Persian Gulf as the Arabian Gulf or the Gulf of Arabia. This move has been met with significant backlash from Iran, with officials warning that it would provoke anger among Iranians worldwide. Iranian officials have emphasized that the name Persian Gulf has been in use for centuries and is recognized by international cartographers. They have expressed hope that the rumors about renaming are merely a campaign of misinformation by warmongers aimed at provoking Iranians. Additionally, Trump's decision follows his earlier move to rename the Gulf of Mexico as the Gulf of America, which led to a lawsuit by the Associated Press against the Trump administration over the issue of renaming.