WASHINGTON (AP) — US President Donald Trump plans to announce while on his trip to Saudi Arabia next week that the United States will now refer to the Persian Gulf as the Arabian Gulf or the Gulf of Arabia, two US officials told The Associated Press on Tuesday.

Arab nations have pushed for a change to the geographic name of the body of water off the southern coast of Iran, while Iran has maintained its historic ties to the gulf.

The US officials spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive matters. The White House and National Security Council didn’t immediately respond to messages seeking comment.

The Persian Gulf has been widely known by that name since the 16th century, although usage of “Gulf of Arabia” and “Arabian Gulf” is dominant in many countries in the Middle East. The government of Iran — formerly Persia — threatened to sue Google in 2012 over the company’s decision not to label the body of water at all on its maps.

On Google Maps in the US, the body of water appears as the Persian Gulf (Arabian Gulf). Apple Maps only says the Persian Gulf.

The US military for years has unilaterally referred to the Persian Gulf as the Arabian Gulf in statements and images it........

© The Times of Israel