WANA (May 07) – Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi has sharply criticized any politically motivated attempts to rename the Persian Gulf, calling such moves “a sign of hostile intent toward Iran and its people.”

 

His remarks follow reports suggesting that the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump is considering officially referring to the Persian Gulf as the “Arabian Gulf” during Trump’s upcoming trip to the Middle East. Analysts say the possible rename may be aimed at strengthening ties with certain Arab states in the region.

 

Araghchi reacted to the rename reports on his X account (formerly Twitter), stating: “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 rather reflects a shared respect for the collective heritage of humanity.”

 

Persian Gulf: Historic Name with Legal and Cultural Weight

He warned that any political attempt to erase the name “Persian Gulf,” which has been in use for over 500 years and is recognized by international bodies and cartographers, would not only be historically and legally invalid but also provoke widespread backlash from Iranians worldwide.

 

“In contrast, 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. Such biased actions are an affront to all Iranians, regardless of their background or place of residence,” he said.

 

He added: “Let’s hope that the absurd rumors about the PERSIAN Gulf that are going around are no more than a disinformation campaign by ‘forever warriors’ to anger Iranians all over the world and agitate them.”

 

Confidence in Recognition of Historic Reality

Expressing confidence that President Trump would recognize the historical weight of the name, he said: “I am confident that Donald Trump is aware that the name PERSIAN Gulf is centuries old and recognized by all cartographers and international bodies and was even used by all leaders of the region in their official communications until as recently as 1960’s.”

 

“While 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 U.S., and across the world,” he concluded.