Airlines must say 'Persian Gulf' or face Iranian airspace ban
Guardian / Sam Jones
22-Feb-2010 (5 comments)

Iran's enthusiastic guardianship of its sovereignty appears to have extended to international air travel.

From now on, the Iranian government has announced, any airline which refers to the waterway between Iran and Arab states as the Arabian Gulf rather than the Persian Gulf will be banned from its airspace.

"The airlines of the southern Persian Gulf countries flying to Iran are warned to use the term Persian Gulf on their electronic display boards," the country's transport minister, Hamid Behbahani, told the Daily Iran newspaper.

"Otherwise they will be banned from Iranian airspace for a month the first time and upon repetition their aircraft will be grounded in Iran and flight permits to Iran will be revoked."

Although the warning seems to be aimed at airlines based in neighbouring countries, the newspaper reported that Iran has also punished a foreign employee of one of its own airlines for making the same mistake.

It said that a Greek employee of Iranian commercial carrier Kish Air had been fired for using the term Arabian Gulf on a display board, and the airline had been asked to apologise over the incident.

Last month the Saudi-based Islamic Solidarity Sports Federation said it had made the decision to scrap the Islamic Solidarity Games which were to be held in Iran in April because of a dispute over whether the Gulf waterway is Arab or Persian.

Designation of the key waterway for global oil and gas supplies has long ... >>>

Patriot

I'll wait to actually see some action first

by Patriot on Mon Feb 22, 2010 07:35 PM PST

The Islamic Republic's authorities have been comlacent with Iran's Arab neighbor's unacceptable attitude regarding the name of Persian Gulf.  All of a sudden, after the a couple of decades, they are showing a symbolic gesture of resistance to the ridiculous behavior.  Let's wait and see whether any airlines actually get banned, as they ALL use the terms "Gulf" and "Arabian Gulf" fairly regularly now.

I don't believe the lies anymore.  Let's see some action first.



Balatarin
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RoboF

Bahrain Air do its best

by RoboF on Tue Feb 23, 2010 10:11 PM PST

Sorry for this case. Software for flight information display was delivered from the third party. Until we will fix the problem, it will not be used anymore. And thank you for highlighting of this issue.

Do not take it personally. You know that almost similar problem is between France and UK concerning English Chanel vs La Manche. History is complicated. But most of all we in Bahrain Air want to fly safe and keep our passengers comfortable.


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Ahmed from Bahrain

Th Western media is an accomplice in creating

by Ahmed from Bahrain on Tue Feb 23, 2010 12:26 AM PST

and abetting this antagonism. Notice that the article does not refer to any historical background and thus keeps its readers in the dark as to the fact that historically the gulf has always been referred to as "The Persian Gulf" - there has never been an Arabian Gulf.

Anyone who wants to verify this need only pick up an old world Atlas and see not themselves. s for Western media keeping mum about this historical fact can only expose them to the charge of complicity.

Ahmed from Bahrain


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bomannyali

Boycott Bahrain--I say change their government

by bomannyali on Mon Feb 22, 2010 10:09 PM PST

Yes, 70 % of Bahrainis are Shiites of Persian background.

The grovernemnt of Bahrain is ruled by an ALL Sunni government.

In order to tilt the population balance, the Bahraini government some 2 years ago began an unprecedented thing in the history of Persian Gulf Arab Sheikhdoms: they offered citizenship.

They offered the citizenship to folks in Saudi Arabia from well known Sunni tribes.  These folks continue to live in Saudi Arabia, but when it comes to voting, they can vote in issues pertaining to Bahrain. Voting booths are brought to them within Saudi Arabia to vote for Sunni candidates.

All this is happening while the United States praises Arab Sheikhdoms and provides nuclear shield for them- from who? from an imaginary enemy called Iran


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azadi5

Boycott Bahrain Air

by azadi5 on Mon Feb 22, 2010 09:49 PM PST

I flew with them two years ago to Iran, they have Persian Gulf as the Arabian Gulf on their flight tracking displays. so screw them. let's boycott them till they change the name.


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