Vice Prez JD Vance Previews US-Iran Nuclear Talks: "Don't Mess with the Persian Gulf!"
Trump Plans to RenAME Arabian Gulf Instead of Persian Gulf before U.S.-Iran Nuclear Talks and Regional Journey: Source
Vice President JD Vance gave the lowdown on the upcoming US-Iran nuclear discussions during a shindig at the Munich Security Conference in Washington DC, selling it down on Wednesday.
Old man Donald Trump is rumored to be renaming the Persian Gulf to the Arabian Gulf before his trek to the Middle East in the upcoming days. The scoop first came out on Wednesday by the Associated Press, who had a previous run-in with the Trump administration this year when the president attempted to rename the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America [X].
Our digital pals over at Digital reached out to the White House for a comment, but they didn't get back to us real quick. The AP claimed two US officials who wished to remain anonymous were the source of the info.
Iran's foreign minister, Seyed Abbas Araghchi, was none too pleased, stating the attempt to alter the Persian Gulf's name is a clear indication of hostility towards Iran and its people. He pleaded with us all to hope that the news about the Persian Gulf is nothing more than a disinformation campaign orchestrated to bl assignment among Iranians worldwide [X].
Araghchi explained that the name Persian Gulf has deep roots in human history, and Iran has never taken issue with names like Sea of Oman, Indian Ocean, Arabian Sea, or Red Sea. He pointed out that these names belong to all of humanity, not a single nation, and was confident that Trump was aware of the centuries-old tradition [X].
He warned that any hasty move in this matter would not have any legal or geographical impact but would bring wrath upon the peoples of Iran, the US, and all around the globe [X].
Trump's journey will take him to Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates, countries that border the Persian Gulf (or Arabian Gulf, depending on who you ask) [X].
Trump teased a "very, very big announcement" ahead of his trip to the Middle East, sending skyrocketing all the way to the edge of Canadian PM Mark Carney's seat [X].
US and Iranian officials are gearing up for the fourth round of nuclear talks in Oman soon. VP JD Vance stated the US is negotiating for a "total shutdown" of Tehran's nuclear program [X].
Arab countries have been pushing for the geographical name of the body of water adjacent to southern Iran to change, while Iran has preserved its ties to the Persian Gulf under the Persian Empire [X]. The Persian Gulf has been known by that name since the 16th century, and Google Maps in the US displays it as the "Persian Gulf" followed by "Arabian Gulf" in parentheses. Meanwhile, Apple Maps only says the Persian Gulf [X].
The US military has been referring to the Persian Gulf as the Arabian Gulf in statements and images for quite some time [X]. A spat ignited in 2017 when Trump called it the Arabian Gulf, with Iran's president at the time, Hassan Rouhani, suggesting Trump needed to study geography. Iran's foreign minister, Mohammad Javad Zarif, tweeted at the time, "Everyone knew Trump's friendship was for sale to the highest bidder. We now know that his geography is, too." [X]
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
That's all she wrote, folks! Report tips and reactions can be sent to [email protected] and on X: @danimwallace. Keep it locked here for more updates!
- Vice President JD Vance previewed the upcoming US-Iran nuclear talks, urging caution regarding the Persian Gulf.
- Rumors swirled about Donald Trump renaming the Persian Gulf to the Arabian Gulf before his Middle East trip, with the Associated Press as the original source.
- Renaming the Persian Gulf to the Arabian Gulf could be perceived as hostility towards Iran and its people, according to Iran's foreign minister, Seyed Abbas Araghchi.
- The name Persian Gulf has deep roots in human history, and Iran has never objected to names like Sea of Oman, Indian Ocean, Arabian Sea, or Red Sea.
- Any move to change the name of the Persian Gulf without due consideration could spark global controversy and backlash, as both the US and Iran have historical ties to the body of water.
