The Arab countries have called for a change of geographic name for this extent of water off the southern coast of Iran, while Iran has retained its historical ties with the Gulf.
US officials expressed themselves on condition of anonymity to approach sensitive subjects. The White House and the National Security Council did not immediately respond to the requests for comments.
The Persian Gulf has been widely known by this name since the 16th century, although the use of the terms “Gulf of Arabia” and “Arabian Gulf” is dominant in many countries in the Middle East. The Iranian government – formerly Persian – threatened to prosecute Google in 2012 for the company’s decision not to mention this extent of water on its cards.
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In the United States, the maritime area is designated under the name of Persian Gulf (Arabian Gulf) on Google Maps. Apple Maps only mentions the Persian Gulf.
For years, the American army unilaterally designates the Persian Gulf under the name of the Arabian Gulf in its declarations and images.
-Donald Trump can modify this name for the official needs of the United States, but he cannot dictate his name to the rest of the world.
The international hydrographic organization, of which the United States is members, ensures that all the seas, all the oceans and all the navigable waters in the world are studied and mapped uniformly, and also appoints some of them. It happens that countries designate the same maritime zone or the same benchmark by different names in their own documents.
In addition to Saudi Arabia, Donald Trump must also go to Doha, Qatar, and Abu Dhabi, the capital of the United Arab Emirates, which are also in this maritime area.
Initially planned as Mr. Trump’s first trip abroad since his entry into office on January 20, this trip comes as he seeks to get closer to the Gulf countries, in order to obtain their financial investments in the United States and their support in regional conflicts, in particular to resolve the war between Israel and Hamas in the Gaza Strip and limit the advance of the Iranian nuclear program.
The President also maintains significant financial links with these countries through his personal companies, whose ownership he has kept from the Oval Office.
This decision comes several months after Donald Trump said the United States would designate the Gulf of Mexico by the term “Gulf of America”.
