TEHRAN – The Associated Press sent shockwaves across Iran on Wednesday with a report alleging that U.S. President Donald Trump, during an upcoming visit to Saudi Arabia, plans to declare the Persian Gulf by the fabricated term “Arabian Gulf.”

The move, described by Iranian officials as a “hostile act,” has united Iranians worldwide in defiance.

Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi swiftly dismissed politically motivated attempts to alter the name of the Persian Gulf.

He emphasized that the name is “deeply rooted in human history” and that while Iran accepts alternative geographical names like the Sea of Oman and the Indian Ocean, any effort to change the Persian Gulf’s name is “an affront to all Iranians” and will “bring the wrath of all Iranians.”

The Iranian top diplomat also pointed out that leaders and cartographers have recognized the term for centuries, even until the 1960s, and attached a historical image from the U.S. Library of Congress clearly marked “Persian Gulf” to underscore his point.

Araghchi’s predecessor, Javad Zarif, warned that reports of using a fabricated name for the Persian Gulf outrage every patriotic Iranian, irrespective of political affiliation.

He asserted that Iran would demonstrate to the world—and specifically to the occupants of the White House—that united Iranians would not stand for "shortsighted profiteering."

Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, Speaker of the Parliament, took a pragmatic stance by releasing historical maps of the Persian Gulf from the parliamentary archives.

He remarked that there are so many of these maps that they could be freely distributed to every "delusional politician."

Ghalibaf pointed out that while money can buy material goods like shoes and clothes, it cannot purchase history or geography, dismissing the attempt to alter established historical facts as both futile and a needless disturbance.

Sattar Hashemi, Minister of Information and Communications Technology of Iran, wrote, "The enduring name of the Persian Gulf will forever remain alive in the hearts and souls in this corner of the world,” adding that “history and authenticity cannot be changed through bullying and political deals."

Abdulkarim Hosseinzadeh, another Iranian official, added, "Any attempt to distort this reality is a disregard for historical rationality and the principles of international law. The Persian Gulf is not just a name; it is a part of the shared memory of human civilization." 

The backlash transcended political divides. Social media erupted with hashtags like #PersianGulf and #PersianGulf4ever, while users flooded platforms with ancient maps and historical records.

Reza Nasri, an international law expert, predicted: “This would provoke protests from millions of Iranians in the diaspora. Nothing unites Iranians more than defending the Persian Gulf’s true name.”

Ali Ghamsari, a renowned musician, posted: “Iran isn’t Canada or Greenland. Our people stand like mountains behind their history.”

"Persian Gulf is not a matter of debate — it’s a historical fact. For over 2,500 years, since the rise of the Achaemenid Empire in 550 BC, this body of water south of the Iranian Plateau has been known as the Persian Gulf," wrote the account Iranian Plateau.

An Iranian user tweeted: “If truth could be altered, [Gamal Abdel] Nasser and Saddam [Hussein] would’ve imposed their lies decades ago.”

“This place is called the Persian Gulf. Long before a country named the USA even existed, it was already known as the Persian Gulf. Changing its name is a historical forgery,” wrote another user.

Trump’s motives: Commerce, chaos, and colonial echoes

Assuming the AP report is correct, one must ask why Trump would choose to defy centuries of historical and geographical consensus by promoting a spurious denomination to replace the Persian Gulf.

Analysts point to a confluence of factors that together may reveal a calculated strategy. First, there is economic opportunism.

The alignment between Trump’s financial interests and Persian Gulf Arab monarchies is further underscored by his family and allies’ monetary incentives.

His son-in-law Jared Kushner’s private equity firm, Affinity Partners, has secured substantial funding from West Asia, including a $2 billion investment from the Arab monarchies’ wealth funds.

Additionally, Trump’s sons have expanded business ventures across the region, raising concerns about how these dealings might influence presidential priorities.

This web of interests aligns with Saudi, UAE, and Qatari investments seeking to leverage U.S. political influence, particularly as Trump advocates for infrastructure initiatives mirroring Arab monarchies.

Equally significant is the element of regional polarization. By stirring up long-standing tensions between Iran and Arab nations, Trump seems intent on diverting attention from the setbacks experienced in advancing possible normalization between the Israeli regime and Saudi Arabia.

This maneuver not only shifts the focus away from these diplomatic challenges but also provides a convenient pretext for justifying increased arms sales, further entrenching his geopolitical stance.

Lastly, a legacy of colonial meddling plays a crucial role. The fabricated term for the Persian Gulf dates back to 1958, when British diplomat Roderick Owen, despite acknowledging the long-standing historical usage of the term, suggested that adopting a new, more “polite” designation would appease Arab allies.

Later, during the 1960s oil nationalization crisis, British advisor Charles Belgrave deftly deployed the term as a tool to fracture Iran-Arab relations.

This historical maneuver highlights how remnants of colonial influence continue to shape modern geopolitical narratives, particularly as Trump has demonstrated a penchant for historical revisionism concerning the Gulf of Mexico, Canada, the Panama Canal, and Greenland.

“This isn’t about geography—it’s about erasing Persia’s legacy to serve modern agendas,” wrote an Iranian historian.  

Amongst regional countries, the myth of a fake name for the Persian Gulf gained traction in the 1960s as “pan-Arabism” surged.

The so-called “Arab nationalists,” backed by British colonial remnants, sought to diminish Iran’s cultural sway. The Arab League and UAE amplified the term, despite lacking a historical basis.

The indisputable historical record

The Persian Gulf’s name is etched into humanity’s collective memory, with its roots stretching deep into antiquity.

In the fifth century BCE, Greek historian Herodotus called it “Sinus Persicus,” and Roman geographer Ptolemy’s maps recorded it as “Persicus Sinus.”

During the Islamic Golden Age, influential Arab scholars such as Al-Idrisi in the twelfth century and Ibn Khaldun in the fourteenth century consistently used the term “Persian Gulf” in their writings, reinforcing its historical significance.

In modern times, the enduring legacy of the name has been further solidified. Since 2006, the United Nations has mandated “Persian Gulf” as the sole official term, firmly rejecting any politicized alternatives.

Even the U.S. military has paid homage to this tradition; veterans of the 1991 Persian Gulf War have their tombstones engraved with “Persian Gulf,” a testament to its lasting cultural and historical importance.