Showing posts with label Arabian Gulf. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Arabian Gulf. Show all posts

23 February 2010

Iran a bit touchy over what you call the (insert name here) Gulf

According to the BBC Iran has warned that airlines will be banned from flying into its airspace, unless they use the term "Persian Gulf" on their in-flight monitors. The transport, Hamid Behbahani, minister has threatened to impound planes that fail to comply.

Iran is insistent that the stretch of water separating it from its southern neighbours should be known as the Persian Gulf. Call it Gulf and you will irritate the Iranian authorities; call it the Arabian Gulf and it’s war!
The Iranian transport minister has given foreign airlines 15 days to change the name to Persian Gulf on their in flight monitors. If they failed, they would be prevented from entering Iranian airspace, he warned.

If the offence was repeated, foreign airliners would be grounded and refused permission to leave Iran (hmm I wonder how if they had been refused entry to Iranian airspace......)

Numerous Arab airlines fly into Iran every day, not to mention Europeans and others, so it remains to be seen how they will respond.....

There may be a reason for this move which will be the subject of a later post. In the meantime I have a solution that will please everyone. I suggest that we call it the BRITISH GULF and have done with it!