President Donald Trump has indicated he may change how the United States refers to the Persian Gulf during his upcoming visit to Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates from May 13 to 16.

Speaking at the White House, Trump said the name of the waterway could be raised during meetings with regional leaders. US media reports suggest he may announce a shift to calling it the “Arabian Gulf” or “Gulf of Arabia”, according to Al Jazeera.

The naming of the strategic waterway has long been a point of contention between Iran and Arab states. Iran insists on using the historical  name "Persian Gulf," citing old maps and archives. In contrast, numerous Arab countries, like Saudi Arabia and the UAE, prefer to be known as "Arabian Gulf."

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi slammed the proposed modification, calling it a "hostile act" that will incite enormous resentment among Iranians, Al Jazeera reported.