The Associated Press, which has been shafted by the White House for continuing to say “Gulf of Mexico,” was the first to report the administration’s plans
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President Donald Trump is planning to rename another prominent body of water.
The Associated Press reported on Wednesday, May 7, that two senior White House officials have confirmed that — during his upcoming trip to Saudi Arabia— Trump plans to announce that the U.S. will officially be updating its lexicon to call the Persian Gulf the “Arabian Gulf” or the “Gulf of Arabia.”
The body of water is known by its Arabian name in many Middle Eastern nations, however, the “Persian Gulf” moniker is a point of pride for Iran. The country descended from the Persian Empire and was called Persia by Western countries until 1935.
While the U.S. military has referred to the body of water as the Arabian Gulf for years, the Persian Gulf name is more common among American civilians. For users in the United States, Google Maps currently lists the name as “Persian Gulf (Arabian Gulf),” while Apple Maps solely displays it as the “Persian Gulf.”
Trump first stoked the Persian/Arabian Gulf debate during his first term as president. He provoked ire among top Iranian officials for not only withdrawing from the Iran nuclear deal, but also referring to the “Arabian Gulf” as he did so.
“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 on Twitter at the time.
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On Wednesday, the country’s current foreign minister, Abbas Araghchi, took to social media to once again chastise — and even threaten retaliation against — the president’s plan to move toward a name change.
“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,” Araghchi wrote.
“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 continued.
Araghchi also included a warning to Trump, writing, “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.”
Early in his second term, Trump barred The Associated Press from the White House due to the outlet’s refusal to comply with his proclamation that the Gulf of Mexico be renamed the “Gulf of America.”
The outlet’s battle for Oval Office access continues, with a federal judge ruling in April that the AP’s continued referral to the Gulf of Mexico is protected by the First Amendment.
However, the Trump administration has continued to retaliate, recently removing the designated position for wire services in the press pool rotation, severely limiting the outlet’s ability to gain daily access to briefings and more.
