This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/blogs-trending-25235637
The article has changed 2 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
Previous version
1
Next version
| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| #BBCtrending: Iran's president in storm over #PersianGulf tweet | |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| A tweet from an account believed to be that of Iran's President Hassan Rouhani has triggered a big response in the Arab world. Why? Because he used the term "Persian Gulf". | A tweet from an account believed to be that of Iran's President Hassan Rouhani has triggered a big response in the Arab world. Why? Because he used the term "Persian Gulf". |
| The Gulf. The Persian Gulf. The Arabian Gulf. What's in a name? A lot, if social media is anything to go by. These are all terms used to describe the body of water between Iran and the Arabian peninsula. When a tweet went out on Saturday from an account believed to be that of the Iranian president saying he had arrived in the "#PersianGulf port of #Asaluyeh" it did not go unnoticed in the Arab world. "Arabian Gulf Mr President!" chided one. "It is still called ARABIAN GULF, Sir," tweeted another. Iranians were quick to respond, citing a UN panel of experts - which in 2006 concluded that the term "Persian Gulf" should be used, based on its long history in maps and written records. | The Gulf. The Persian Gulf. The Arabian Gulf. What's in a name? A lot, if social media is anything to go by. These are all terms used to describe the body of water between Iran and the Arabian peninsula. When a tweet went out on Saturday from an account believed to be that of the Iranian president saying he had arrived in the "#PersianGulf port of #Asaluyeh" it did not go unnoticed in the Arab world. "Arabian Gulf Mr President!" chided one. "It is still called ARABIAN GULF, Sir," tweeted another. Iranians were quick to respond, citing a UN panel of experts - which in 2006 concluded that the term "Persian Gulf" should be used, based on its long history in maps and written records. |
| "The Persian Gulf is a very sensitive issue," says Niusha Boghrati editor-in-chief of Radio Farda, the Iran service of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty. "It's a matter of the utmost importance - a matter of national pride." In recent years, the dispute over the name has flared dozens of times online. For a period in 2012, Google Maps had no name on it at all - prompting Iranians to set up an online petition and Facebook page. Google Maps now says "Persian Gulf" and, in brackets on the side, "also known as the Arabian Gulf". | "The Persian Gulf is a very sensitive issue," says Niusha Boghrati editor-in-chief of Radio Farda, the Iran service of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty. "It's a matter of the utmost importance - a matter of national pride." In recent years, the dispute over the name has flared dozens of times online. For a period in 2012, Google Maps had no name on it at all - prompting Iranians to set up an online petition and Facebook page. Google Maps now says "Persian Gulf" and, in brackets on the side, "also known as the Arabian Gulf". |
| Perhaps the biggest controversy was in 2004 when National Geographic added "Arabian Gulf" as an alternative name in its atlas. Iranian bloggers set up a "Google bomb" - whenever anyone searched the term "Arabian Gulf", a spoof error message would appear. The issue is clearly a live one - as recently as last week, a number of delegates from Arab countries reportedly walked out of a Nato meeting after the organisers used the term "Persian Gulf". | Perhaps the biggest controversy was in 2004 when National Geographic added "Arabian Gulf" as an alternative name in its atlas. Iranian bloggers set up a "Google bomb" - whenever anyone searched the term "Arabian Gulf", a spoof error message would appear. The issue is clearly a live one - as recently as last week, a number of delegates from Arab countries reportedly walked out of a Nato meeting after the organisers used the term "Persian Gulf". |
| "We prefer Arabian Gulf," says Abdelkhaleq Abdalla, professor of political science at UAE University who says it's the term used in textbooks - and common usage - right across the Arab world. The issue has become highly politicised, he says. "If Iran wants to call it Persian Gulf, so be it. But that should not limit us - we are flexible." The area is sometimes simply referred to as "the Gulf", including by the BBC. It's a neat-sounding compromise - but not one that's readily accepted by either side. | "We prefer Arabian Gulf," says Abdelkhaleq Abdalla, professor of political science at UAE University who says it's the term used in textbooks - and common usage - right across the Arab world. The issue has become highly politicised, he says. "If Iran wants to call it Persian Gulf, so be it. But that should not limit us - we are flexible." The area is sometimes simply referred to as "the Gulf", including by the BBC. It's a neat-sounding compromise - but not one that's readily accepted by either side. |
| Reporting by Cordelia Hebblethwaite | Reporting by Cordelia Hebblethwaite |
| All our stories are at BBC.com/trending | All our stories are at BBC.com/trending |
| Follow @BBCtrending on Twitter and tweet using #BBCtrending‎ | Follow @BBCtrending on Twitter and tweet using #BBCtrending‎ |
Previous version
1
Next version