UK Foreign Ministry had ordered use of “Persian Gulf”

Hamid Baeedinejad, Iran’s envoy to London wrote in his telegram channel "Majid Tafreshi, a prominent researcher of Iran’s historical document, particularly confidential documents in the archives of British Foreign Ministry, has recently mentioned a confidential document containing instructions by the ministry which urges the country’s officials to use the proper term of "Persian Gulf”. The document had been issued on May 8, 1978.

The document orders the official of the country to use the correct title of the territorial water, while considering the political relations of Iran with Arab countries as well as the sensitivity of Iranian people to the location and its title.

The document specifically says that the right title is "Persian Gulf” and that they must never use "Arabian Gulf”.

In addition, it is written in the document that using any other term is a serious insult to Iranians, and it has been show to negatively impact contracts and negotiations.