Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has condemned reports that U.S. President Donald Trump might rename the Persian Gulf to the Arabian Gulf ahead of an anticipated Middle East trip.
Newsweek has reached out to the White House for comment.
Why It Matters
The reports come as President Trump prepares to visit three key Gulf allies—Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates—central to his regional diplomacy efforts and efforts to attract foreign investment to the U.S., amid ongoing tensions with Iran and intermittent diplomatic strains.
It echoes Trump’s earlier proclamation rebranding the Gulf of Mexico as the “Gulf of America,” a move that triggered backlash from Mexico and several other countries at the time. Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei had ridiculed Trump during the incident.
A fisherman steers his boat past a flock of gulls on the Persian Gulf coast in Bushehr, Iran, January 17, 2025. A fisherman steers his boat past a flock of gulls on the Persian Gulf coast in Bushehr, Iran, January 17, 2025. Amir/AP Photo
What To Know
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi described the attempt as “politically motivated” and an indication of “hostile intent toward Iran and its people,” he posted to his X account.
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
During his upcoming visit to Saudi Arabia, President Trump is expected to announce that the United States will begin using the term “Arabian Gulf”—or “Gulf of Arabia”—instead of “Persian Gulf,” according to the Associated Press.
In an Instagram post announcing a new Trump towerand hotel in the United Arab Emirate’s city of Dubai last week, the Trump Organization said the new landmark building will have “sweeping views of the Burj Khalifa and Arabian Gulf,” as several users corrected it to “Persian Gulf” in the comments’ section.
Similarly to the Gulf of Mexico case, the designation isn’t a dictation for the rest of the world, nor does it imply ownership or territorial rights, but Tehran has deemed it as biased and offensive to Iranians.
Trump’s renaming push may signal a deeper effort to align with Gulf leaders, with whom he’s cultivated close ties through business dealings, arms sales, and backchannel diplomatic coordination on issues ranging from the war in Gaza to the Russia-Ukraine conflict.
Reinforcing those relationships risks further antagonizing Iran, particularly on issues such as the recently announced U.S.-Saudi nuclear agreement and renewed efforts to expand the Abraham Accords with Israel.
What People Are Saying
Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi on X: “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. I am confident that @realdonaldtrump 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.”
What Happens Next
The U.S. president is scheduled to visit Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the UAE between May 13 to 16 on his first overseas trip. Meanwhile, the date of the next round of U.S.-Iran nuclear talks is yet to be determined.
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