Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has strongly criticised the use of incorrect names for key waterways in the region, saying that changing the name of the Strait of Hormuz is a “terrible mistake.”
In a statement issued on the occasion of Persian Gulf Day in Iran, Araghchi said the day marks an important historical event when Iranian forces expelled the Portuguese from the Strait of Hormuz around 400 years ago. He said this event is a symbol of Iran’s long maritime history and sovereignty in the region.
The Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi wrote in a post on X, “Today is Persian Gulf Day in Iran, marking our ancestors’ expulsion of Portuguese from Strait of Hormuz 400 years ago. POTUS uses the correct term “Persian Gulf”, not the Pentagon’s fake version. But calling Hormuz anything else is indeed a “terrible mistake”.
Araghchi added that the United States President has used the correct term “Persian Gulf,” which aligns with the historically accepted name. However, he criticised other institutions, including the Pentagon, for using what he described as incorrect or misleading terminology for the same region.
The Iranian foreign minister also reacted to reports that former US President Donald Trump had referred to the Strait of Hormuz as the “Strait of Trump” on multiple occasions. He said such remarks are inappropriate and should not be made, as they distort internationally recognised geographic names.
He stressed that the Strait of Hormuz is a vital and globally important waterway, and its name carries historical and legal recognition. According to him, attempts to rename or mislabel such strategic locations can create confusion and are unacceptable in international discourse.
Araghchi further said that respecting historical and geographical names is important for maintaining diplomatic respect and regional stability. He warned that political statements which alter or distort established names of places are not only inaccurate but also harmful to mutual understanding between nations.
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