The Persian Gulf: A Name Rooted in Millennia of History

May 9, 2025

By Irani World

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Throughout recorded history, the name Persian Gulf has appeared in ancient maps, official documents, and texts by prominent geographers long before the formation of modern nations like the United States. It is therefore both ironic and amusing to witness attempts by some contemporary leaders to rename this historic body of water to the “Arabian Gulf” a name with no legitimate historical foundation.

What makes this even more unreasonable is the fact that 57% of the Persian Gulf’s coastline belongs to Iran. This includes vast stretches from provinces like Khuzestan, Bushehr, Hormozgan, and Sistan-Baluchestan, extending all the way to the strategic Strait of Hormuz. Given this geographic reality, the use of the term “Persian” is not only historically accurate but also geographically justified.

Iran: A Civilization Beyond Centuries

Iran is home to one of the world’s oldest civilizations, with over 12,000 years of continuous cultural and historical legacy. It has produced legendary scholars like Avicenna (Ibn Sina), Al-Razi, Al-Farabi, Al-Biruni, Al-Khwarizmi, Nasir al-Din al-Tusi, and Omar Khayyam minds whose works shaped the course of global science and philosophy for centuries.

The name Iran has always shone brightly on the map of the world not merely as a country, but as a civilizational sun illuminating the paths of human knowledge, ethics, and cooperation. No superficial gesture can erase or rewrite this truth.

Historical Identity Is Not Up for Debate

Iran’s cultural and geographic identity is deeply rooted in history and authenticity. The Persian Gulf, much like the name Iran, is not a label but a legacy one that no force can erase. Attempts to alter these names are ineffective against the enduring legacy of a people who have contributed immeasurably to the development of human civilization.