Iraqi, Iranian parliament speakers clash online over gulf name in photos

BAGHDAD, Iraq — A photograph of Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf standing in front of a map labeled "Persian Gulf" during a visit to Baghdad sparked an online dispute between the two countries' top legislators. Iraqi Parliament Speaker Mahmoud al-Halbousi responded on X by posting a photo of himself in front of a map bearing the words "Arabian Gulf," countering Ghalibaf's post. The exchange quickly drew heated reactions, with some users citing historical sources that refer to the gulf as "Persian Gulf," while others argued it had carried an Arab name since antiquity. The exchange has revived a long-running dispute between Iran and Arab states over the naming of the body of water. Historical records show Greek geographers referred to it as the "Persian Gulf," while some Islamic geographers used "Sea of Basra" or "Persian Gulf." The term "Arabian Gulf" became more widely used in the 20th century, particularly during the rise of Arab nationalism in the 1950s and 1960s. United Nations geographic documents use "Persian Gulf," while many Arab countries prefer "Arabian Gulf" in official texts. No further statements from either speaker were immediately reported.