Britain's Oxford University Press (OUP) has offered a formal apology to the Islamic Republic of Iran for distorting the historical name of “Persian Gulf” in one of its recent publications.
Historically and internationally known as “Persian Gulf”, the body of water is an extension of the Indian Ocean located between Iran and the Arabian Peninsula. The “Persian Gulf” is 989 kilometers long with Iran covering most of the northern coast. It is about 56 kilometers wide at its narrowest in the Strait of Hormuz. The International Hydrographic Organization also refers to it as the “Persian Gulf”.
The Oxford University Press has, in its “Bright Star Pupil's Book 4”, mistakenly referred to the historically recognized name of “Persian Gulf” as “Arabian”, for which it has extended a formal apology after Iran's Embassy in London strongly protested the misnomer.
Cultural Counselor of the Embassy of Islamic Republic of Iran in London, Ali Mohammad Helmi wrote to the Oxford University Press, strongly protesting the distortion of the name of “Persian Gulf”.
“I am both disappointed and surprised to learn that the Oxford University Press has replaced the word 'Persian' with 'Arabian' in the descriptions of the Persian Gulf in one of its books: 'Bright Star Pupil's Book 4', by Sue Mohamed, Oxford University Press, page 27.”, read the Cultural Counselor's letter.
“My disappointment is confounded by the fact that this mistake is in direct contradiction with the very concept of a universal institution that Oxford University Press has strived to embody throughout its history. Oxford University Press' well?renowned reputation has been built upon adhering to the basic principles of disseminating accurate and unbiased historical facts to the public, especially in this case to young children”, Helmi said in his letter to the O. U. Press.
“For your information the historical name 'Persian Gulf' had also been used over the last two millenniums by the ancient Greeks as Sinus Persicus as recorded by renowned Greek historians/geographers and then by the Romans as Mare Persicum . The Persian Gulf has
been legally recognized as such in the international arena ever since. The United Nations has officially declared twice the correct and historical name 'Persian Gulf' through the UN documents UNAD, 311/Gen on March 5, 1971 and UNLA 45.8.2 (C) on August 10, 1984”, read the letter.
Helmi called on the Oxford University Press to rectify the mistake and prevent any further distortion of the historically recognized name of the “Persian Gulf” to which the publications extended a formal apology.
“I have investigated the instance you highlight with the editorial team who currently manage the Bright Star series”, replied Anna Baldwin, Group Communication Director, Oxford University Press.
“They agree that the reference to the 'Arabian Gulf' needs to be removed, and ensure this reference is deleted at the next print of this title”, added Anna Baldwin.
“Please be reassured that our in-house editorial guidelines on appropriate nomenclature are already correct on this, but we will ensure that the guidelines are re-circulated to avoid such an error re-occurring”, said the official with the Oxford University Press.
She apologized on behalf of the Oxford University Press for the inaccuracy in using a distorted name for the internationally-known name of the “Persian Gulf”.
To study the historical roots of the “Persian Gulf”, Iran has held several international scientific conferences in which researchers from the most reputable academic centers worldwide unanimously agreed that the body of water has been referred to as the Persian Gulf throughout history.
However, some regional and hostile western countries continue to distort historical facts by misnaming the "Persian Gulf", in an organized attempt to steal the true identity of the Persian Gulf, but to no avail.
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OUP apologize for mistake
