Welcome back to The Farda Briefing, an RFE/RL newsletter that tracks the key issues in Iran and explains why they matter.
I’m RFE/RL correspondent Kian Sharifi. In this edition, I examine how Iranians are rallying against a reported plan by the Trump administration to rename the Persian Gulf — an issue experts say could damage the US president’s standing among Iranians.
What You Need To Know
• Alleged US Plan To Rename Persian Gulf Draws Ire: A reported plan by US President Donald Trump to rename the Persian Gulf as the “Arabian Gulf” or “Gulf of Arabia” has sparked a rare unity of outrage among Iranians across the political spectrum — including his supporters — who see the name as a matter of national identity and historical legitimacy.
• Iran Touts New Missile: Iran this week claimed to have successfully tested a new ballistic missile, the Qassem Basir, which can reportedly reach Israel and evade advanced US defense systems like Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD). Defense Minister Aziz Nasirzadeh said the missile, with a range of 1,200 kilometers, was improved after Iran’s past attacks on Israel. The missile uses electro-optical seekers, making it resistant to jamming. Footage of the test was aired on state TV.
• Early Rolling Blackouts Hit Tehran: Iran is experiencing worsening electricity shortages, prompting early rolling blackouts in Tehran despite mild weather. Government spokeswoman Fatemeh Mohajerani cited rising demand for electricity, water, and gas as causes, and said the administration needs time to address the crisis. Experts warn that no short-term fix exists, with demand rising 7 percent annually and peak consumption exceeding generation capacity. Officials argue for nuclear energy to meet demand, with Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi saying Iran aims to build 19 reactors and is open to foreign investment if sanctions ease.
The Big Issue
Is Trump Alienating His Iranian Support Base?
The Associated Press on May 7, citing US officials, reported that Trump was planning to announce the name change during a scheduled trip to the Middle East next week.
Commentators, including Iranian supporters of Trump’s Iran agenda, cautioned such a move could alienate Iranian Americans who support Trump’s Iran policies and that it could even undermine nuclear negotiations.
Asked about the report, Trump told journalists he had not yet decided whether to change the name but was sure he would be asked about it on his Middle East trip. “I don’t want to hurt anybody’s feelings,” he said in the Oval Office.
Why It Matters: The name “Persian Gulf” is a source of deep national pride in Iran, and any attempt to rename it is seen as an affront to the country’s identity and history.
While the US government officially uses the term Persian Gulf, the military has occasionally used “Arabian Gulf” to align with Arab allies.
While the administration has yet to comment, there is precedent: Trump issued an executive order earlier this year to rename the Gulf of Mexico as the “Gulf of America,” which led to a legal battle with the Associated Press, ending with a court ruling that defended press freedom.
What’s Being Said: Analysts warn this could have real geopolitical consequences. For example, it could derail sensitive nuclear negotiations between Tehran and Washington or embolden Iran’s regional rivals, especially regarding disputed territories such as Abu Musa, Greater Tunb, and Lesser Tunb — strategic islands in the Persian Gulf claimed by the United Arab Emirates but controlled by Iran.
Iran’s conservative Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf hinted that Arab states in the region may have offered the US president an incentive in return for the name change.
“You might be able to buy shoes and clothes with dollars and dirhams,” he wrote on X, referring to the Emirati currency, “but history and geography cannot be bought.”
Meanwhile, Iran’s former crown prince Reza Pahlavi said changing the Persian Gulf’s name in the United States would be “an affront to the people of Iran.”
“The Persian Gulf is our national inheritance, and the defense of its honor and its name is a national responsibility for each of us to bear in any way we can,” he added.
Expert Opinion: Farzan Sabet, managing researcher at the Geneva Graduate Institute, blamed the Islamic republic, writing on X, “They have made Iran so weak and have lost so much influence in the West and beyond that many non-Arab states have already changed their usage. This is just one of the many humiliations Iranians have suffered due to their mismanagement.”
That’s all from me for now.
Until next time,
Kian Sharifi
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