Former US President Donald Trump is set to cause ripples on his next Middle East visit by possibly declaring a new name for the Persian Gulf—a step that has attracted strong rebuke from Iran while eliciting silence from Arab countries.
Decision May Come During Gulf Nation Visits
Trump will travel to Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates between May 13 and May 16. While interacting with journalists recently, he replied, “I’ll have to make a decision,” when questioned whether he would rename the Persian Gulf on his upcoming tour. He further added, “I’m going to be given a briefing on that (Gulf debate) and I’ll make a decision. I don’t want to hurt anybody’s feelings.”. I do not know whether there are going to be hurt feelings.
Reports indicate that the US could soon begin referring to the Persian Gulf as the “Arabian Gulf” or “Gulf of Arabia.” Trump also stated that he anticipates the Gulf countries to inquire about the US position during his visit.
Historical Context Behind the Naming Dispute
Persian Gulf is named after Persia, currently Iran, and has been so referenced for centuries. The area was officially renamed Iran in 1935 when Reza Shah Pahlavi asserted that “Persia” was a foreign name, whereas “Iran” indicated the country’s indigenous identity.
Regardless, Arab nations around the Gulf—Saudi Arabia, UAE, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, and Iraq—have opposed the name “Persian Gulf” for decades, choosing instead to refer to the body of water as “Arabian Gulf” or “the Gulf.”
Iran Issues Stern Warning Over Name Change
Iran has also vehemently protested Trump‘s possible renaming action. Iran’s foreign minister, Seyed Abbas Araghchi, went on social media platform X to caution, “Such biased actions are an affront to all Iranians, regardless of their background or place of residence.”
He also went on to state, “Any such action by the US will be a demonstration of hostile intentions towards Iran and its people,” and threatened that it would “invoke the wrath of all Iranians from all walks of life.”
Araghchi labeled Trump and underscored, “I am sure @realdonaldtrump is aware that the name PERSIAN Gulf has centuries of history and is acknowledged by all cartographers and world organizations.” He also posted an official US Library of Congress map that explicitly had it as the Persian Gulf.
The name Persian Gulf, like many geographical designations, is deeply rooted in human history. Iran has never objected to the use of names such as the Sea of Oman, Indian Ocean, Arabian Sea, or Red Sea. The use of these names does not imply ownership by any particular nation, but… pic.twitter.com/PQjUiph4qt
— Seyed Abbas Araghchi (@araghchi) May 7, 2025
Previous Confrontations on the Issue of Naming
This is not the first occasion when the term Persian Gulf caused diplomatic tension. In 2023, Iran recalled Iraq’s ambassador following the hosting of ‘Arabian Gulf Cup’ in Baghdad. In 2012, Iran sued Google for leaving out the name of the Gulf altogether in its online maps.
Today, sites such as Google Maps both use both the terms: Persian Gulf (Arabian Gulf), trying to find a balance in the ancient controversy.
Trump’s History With Renaming Geographic Landmarks
This wouldn’t be the first time Trump has ventured into the realm of contentious geographic rebranding. During his tenure, he issued an executive order renaming the Gulf of Mexico as the Gulf of America—a label that showed up on Google Maps in spite of Mexico’s objections.
As Trump embarks on his Middle East tour, a move to rename one of the most strategically crucial bodies of water in the world could ratchet up tensions in the region and redefine American diplomacy in the Gulf.
