According to two U.S. officials, President Donald Trump intends to declare during his trip to Saudi Arabia next week that the United States will henceforth designate the body of water as the Arabian Gulf or the Gulf of Arabia, rather than the Persian Gulf.

Arab nations have advocated for a renaming of the body of water situated off Iran's southern coast, while Iran has underscored its historical association with the gulf.

Two U.S. officials discussed the issue with The Associated Press on Tuesday under the protection of anonymity. The White House and National Security Council did not promptly reply to requests for comment.

The Persian Gulf has been commonly referred to by that name since the 16th century, despite the widespread use of "Gulf of Arabia" and "Arabian Gulf" in numerous Middle Eastern nations. In 2012, the Iranian government — previously known as Persia — issued a threat of legal action against Google concerning the company's choice to omit any label for the body of water on its maps.

On Google Maps in the U.S., the waterway is labelled as Persian Gulf (Arabian Gulf), while Apple Maps exclusively uses the designation "the Persian Gulf".

For a significant period, the U.S. military has exclusively labelled the Persian Gulf as the Arabian Gulf in its official pronouncements and disseminated visuals.

The naming of this particular sea has become a contentious issue for Iranians, who strongly identify with their nation's extensive history as the Persian Empire. A diplomatic disagreement arose in 2017 during President Trump's initial term when he referred to the waterway as the Arabian Gulf. Iran's then-president, Hassan Rouhani, suggested Trump ought to "study geography."

Everyone knew Trump would be loyal to whoever paid the most. Now, we know he is also willing to change geographical boundaries, the Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif wrote online at that time.

On Wednesday, Iran's current foreign minister also gave his opinion, saying that the names of Middle Eastern waterways do "not mean they are owned by any one country, but instead show a shared respect for what belongs to everyone."

Abbas Araghchi said on the social media site X that changing the historical name of the Persian Gulf for political reasons shows unfriendly intentions towards Iran and its people, and these attempts are strongly criticized.

Any quick decision on this will not be valid or have legal or land effects. It will just make all Iranians angry, no matter where they live or what they believe politically, in Iran, the U.S., and around the world.

While Trump possesses the authority to alter the designation for official U.S. use, he lacks the power to impose this nomenclature on the international community.

The International Hydrographic Organization, of which the United States is a member, endeavours to standardise the surveying and charting of all global seas, oceans, and navigable waters, and is also responsible for naming certain bodies of water. Occasionally, different nations use alternative names in their documentation for the same body of water or geographical feature.

Beyond Saudi Arabia, Trump is also scheduled to visit Doha, Qatar, and Abu Dhabi, the capital of the United Arab Emirates, all situated on the same waterway. Initially planned as Trump’s first overseas journey since assuming office on January 20, this trip occurs as Trump endeavors to cultivate closer ties with the Gulf nations, seeking their financial investment in the U.S. and cooperation in regional disputes, such as resolving the Israel-Hamas conflict in Gaza and curbing Iran’s developing nuclear activities.

The U.S. president also has important financial links to these countries because of his personal businesses, which he still owns even though he is president.

This decision follows remarks by Trump some months prior, where he stated the U.S. would rename the Gulf of Mexico the Gulf of America.

Earlier this year, the Associated Press sued the Trump administration. This happened after the White House stopped their journalists from covering most events. The White House did this because the Associated Press did not follow the president's order to change the name of the Gulf of Mexico to the "Gulf of America" in the United States.

U.S. District Judge Trevor N. McFadden, who was appointed by President Donald Trump, decided last month that the First Amendment protects the Associated Press from the government punishing it for its choice of words. He ordered that the news outlet's access should be given back.