WASHINGTON D.C. – As reported by the Associated Press, President Donald Trump is planning to announce that the United States will officially begin using the incorrect term “Arabian Gulf” in place of the historically recognized and correct name: “Persian Gulf”.
Since 2004, NIAC has been tirelessly advocating for the preservation of the Persian Gulf name, reflecting the strong and unwavering commitment of our community to safeguard this vital part of our heritage and identity.
This is not just about changing a name. It is an attempt to rewrite centuries of history and disregard the cultural identity and geographic integrity of a region that has been called the Persian Gulf for over two millennia. If the designation is formally adopted, the implications of such a move are serious, and there is still time to prevent it from becoming official U.S. policy.
“This is not a trivial issue of semantics – it’s a deeply political act that erases the identity of an entire region and echoes the rhetoric of dictators and extremists,” said Jamal Abdi, President of the National Iranian American Council. “The Persian Gulf is not just a name on a map – it’s a reflection of a shared and ancient history that cannot and should not be erased to appease narrow political interests or provoke tensions.”
The origin of the term “Arabian Gulf” lies in 20th-century propaganda campaigns that aimed to incite ethnic divisions and unify Arab states against Iranians and other non-Arab communities in the Middle East. It was later adopted by Saddam Hussein to justify his regional ambitions, including the invasion of Iran and his campaigns against Iraqi Kurds. Osama bin Laden similarly used the term to inflame ethnic and sectarian tensions in pursuit of his extremist agenda.
The adoption of this term by the United States would mark a dangerous and unnecessary departure from historical fact, international norms, and longstanding U.S. practice. It would also risk further inflaming tensions in a region already on the brink of broader conflict.
At a time when the world is facing escalating crises, including the threat of a wider war involving Iran, language matters. Adopting revisionist terminology not only undermines U.S. credibility and neutrality, it sends a signal of antagonism that could deepen existing divides and increase the likelihood of conflict.
The National Iranian American Council strongly urges the United States to respect historical accuracy, maintain diplomatic consistency, and preserve the use of the term Persian Gulf in all official communications.