Baghdad (IraqiNews.com) — Iraqi Parliament Speaker Haibat al-Halbousi shared a photograph of himself on Thursday in front of a map labeled “Arabian Gulf,” in apparent reaction to Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf’s exhibition of the same body of water as the “Persian Gulf.”
Al-Halbousi tweeted the photograph on his X account with simply the Arabic hashtag #الخليج_العربي — #Arabian_Gulf, turning a longstanding regional nomenclature issue into a sharp interaction between the Iraqi and Iranian parliament speakers.
The timing of the post is very noteworthy.
Just one day earlier, al-Halbousi met with Ghalibaf in Baghdad as part of the Iranian official’s high-level visit to Iraq, where they discussed bilateral ties, economic cooperation, and regional developments.
During the meetings, al-Halbousi also asked Iran to grant Iraq special consideration for oil shipments via the Strait of Hormuz, highlighting the economic harm caused by regional tensions and interruptions to the crucial waterway.
Ghalibaf’s visit comes at an especially tense time in Iraq-Iran relations.
Baghdad is aiming to maintain connections with Tehran while still under intense US pressure over Iran-aligned armed forces and pursuing closer economic and security ties with Saudi Arabia, other Gulf nations, and Washington.
The dueling map postings therefore have much more political symbolism than a simple debate over nomenclature.
Iran has long insisted on the moniker “Persian Gulf,” but Iraq and the Arab Gulf nations typically prefer “Arabian Gulf.” The word has regularly sparked diplomatic difficulties in the area.
The Iranian Consulate in Najaf then joined in on the subject, reiterating Iran’s historical stance on the Persian Gulf moniker, adding to what had started as a social-media conversation between high political officials.
For Baghdad, however, al-Halbousi’s statement might also be considered an affirmation of Iraq’s unique Arab identity and autonomous political stance at a time when Tehran’s influence inside the nation is under increased scrutiny.
The incident is especially noteworthy since al-Halbousi had maintained direct contact with Iran at the same time.
During Wednesday’s meeting, he urged closer parliamentary cooperation with Tehran while emphasizing the need for protecting Iraq’s economic interests, notably its capacity to export oil via Hormuz.
Iraq has also grown closer to its Arab neighbors.
Last month, Al-Halbousi met with the secretary-general of the Gulf Cooperation Council in Baghdad, emphasizing Iraq’s commitment to developing cooperation with Arab Gulf nations in economic, political, and security areas.
The debate emphasizes the increasingly difficult balancing act that Iraq faces.
Baghdad wants cordial relations with neighboring Iran, but it also seeks better integration with the Arab Gulf, improved contacts with Washington, and more control over Iran-aligned armed organizations operating inside the nation.
Against this environment, a single word on a map has gained political significance.
Less than 24 hours after sitting across the table from Ghalibaf in Baghdad, Iraq’s parliament speaker made his own terms abundantly clear: Arabian Gulf.