As Trump revives the debate over the Gulf’s name and plans to rename the waters, history offers a clear record on why it has been known as the Persian Gulf for over two thousand years.
The only sensible response to this chauvinism: revert the Persian name back to خلیج پارس (khalij-e pars) so Arabic speakers can't pronounce it anymore.
But a Gulf by another name would indicate that the Obama policy of tilting towards Iran by accepting its major role in the Middle East is over.
Perhaps in the future there will be an Iranian regime closer to Iran's Persian roots and imperial history that will enable a better partnership with the United States.
The other day, I shared the same topic with its historical background on Instagram, but I didn’t realize I had followers who are still passive racists, backing lies over truth. One reply I received was: “When the Persian Empire comes back, you can name it whatever you want. For now, it’s being named as it should have been.”
It’s not the first time people have tried to distort history for their own benefit.
Hi Shabnam, thank you the well written and cogent essay about the naming story of the Persian Gulf or Sea.
And thanks for the crazily beautiful antiquarian maps.
They were a bit more freestyle then, somewhat reflecting the fact that actual navigation was also a sort of personal and cultural knowledge.And a bit secret.
Agree with you that this is most likely all about redefining hegemony and control to anchor the gulf to US aligned interest and appease wealthy states like UAR and Saudi Arabia (in same vein re the Gulf of America ( and wonder if Adjunct Professor (only in his own mind and of his acolytes) Donald Duck Trump is even aware if the origin of name of America and that it has nothing to do with a golf course or the Open.
And ,sadly, Omid (previous), think more likely that is not about dislike of Persia at all (I trust), but a lack of knowledge of the detail of Persian history and its conceptual roots and beauty and science, and current meaning.
Regards to you both. Keep Writing. Words have Power and Meaning for both Good and Evil.
The only sensible response to this chauvinism: revert the Persian name back to خلیج پارس (khalij-e pars) so Arabic speakers can't pronounce it anymore.
Shabnam Jan, This means that the West does not like Persia, the Persian language, and Persian civilization very much. But why?
And now Omid, get the use of term Jan more clearly, but my first guess was pretty close!
So thanks for my new learning.
A rose by any other name would smell as sweet ...
But a Gulf by another name would indicate that the Obama policy of tilting towards Iran by accepting its major role in the Middle East is over.
Perhaps in the future there will be an Iranian regime closer to Iran's Persian roots and imperial history that will enable a better partnership with the United States.
Perhaps we should send him "Hafiz Dawan," or Rumi. Rumi is the most popular poet in the USA last I heard.
Thank you for this insightful piece!!!
The other day, I shared the same topic with its historical background on Instagram, but I didn’t realize I had followers who are still passive racists, backing lies over truth. One reply I received was: “When the Persian Empire comes back, you can name it whatever you want. For now, it’s being named as it should have been.”
It’s not the first time people have tried to distort history for their own benefit.
Hi Shabnam, thank you the well written and cogent essay about the naming story of the Persian Gulf or Sea.
And thanks for the crazily beautiful antiquarian maps.
They were a bit more freestyle then, somewhat reflecting the fact that actual navigation was also a sort of personal and cultural knowledge.And a bit secret.
Agree with you that this is most likely all about redefining hegemony and control to anchor the gulf to US aligned interest and appease wealthy states like UAR and Saudi Arabia (in same vein re the Gulf of America ( and wonder if Adjunct Professor (only in his own mind and of his acolytes) Donald Duck Trump is even aware if the origin of name of America and that it has nothing to do with a golf course or the Open.
And ,sadly, Omid (previous), think more likely that is not about dislike of Persia at all (I trust), but a lack of knowledge of the detail of Persian history and its conceptual roots and beauty and science, and current meaning.
Regards to you both. Keep Writing. Words have Power and Meaning for both Good and Evil.