Trump administration to announce U.S. will call Persian Gulf the Arabian Gulf
Share this @internewscast.com

Strait of Hormuz in the Persian Gulf.

Stocktrek | Photodisc | Getty Images

DUBAI, Unites Arab Emirates — President Donald Trump’s administration reportedly plans to announce that the U.S. will officially call the Persian Gulf the Arabian Gulf or Gulf of Arabia, a move that would be welcomed by Arab Gulf leaders and likely draw anger from Iran.

The development was reported by The Associated Press, citing two unnamed U.S. officials, and is set to be timed for Trump’s Middle East visit on May 13 to 16, during which time he will make stops in Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates.

The name of the body of water — a major shipping lane sitting between Iran’s southern coast and the coastlines of Arab countries Kuwait, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, the UAE and Qatar — has long been a point of contention, with several Arab states having spent years pushing for a change from Persian to Arabian Gulf. The area has been most widely called the Persian Gulf since roughly the 1700s, though it’s referred to as the Arabian Gulf and Gulf of Arabia in many Arab countries.

U.S. Central Command in its publications and statements uses the name Gulf of Arabia, while the State Department and CIA have thus far used Persian Gulf.

Read more CNBC politics coverage

Google maps labels the region “Persian Gulf (Arabian Gulf),” while Apple Maps and major U.S. news outlets, including NBC News and The Associated Press, call it the Persian Gulf.

Iran, home of the former Persian empire, threatened in 2012 to sue Google for not naming the body of water altogether on its maps.

The White House did not immediately respond to a CNBC request for comment. The Trump administration has been engaged in indirect talks with Iranian officials over Iran’s nuclear program.

Share this @internewscast.com
You May Also Like

British Aircrews Shocked as ‘Hamas Hotel’ in Cairo Ejects Freed Terrorists Following Exposé

Hamas militants have been swiftly removed from a luxurious hotel after an…

Spotlight on Rare Earth Stocks as US-China Trade Negotiations Intensify

In a captivating aerial photograph, a container ship is seen docked at…

Unlocking Asia’s Economic Pulse: A Deep Dive into Hang Seng, Nifty 50, Kospi & Nikkei 225

For the first time in history, Japan’s Nikkei 225 surged past the…

Abbie Chatfield Faces Backlash as Fans Critique Boyfriend’s Coca-Cola Partnership for Perceived Inauthenticity

Abbie Chatfield has recently faced backlash after an online critic labeled her…