Trump administration to announce U.S. will call Persian Gulf the Arabian Gulf during Middle East visit: Report The name of the body of water has long been a point of contention for many Arab countries, who call it the Arabian Gulf or Gulf of Arabia. Google maps labels the region “Persian Gulf (Arabian Gulf),” while Apple Maps and major U.S. news outlets, including NBC News and The Associated Press, call it the Persian Gulf. Iran, home of the former Persian empire, threatened in 2012 to sue Google for not naming the body of water altogether on its maps.