Another Perspective on Persian Gulf Map Flap

Re “Iran’s Anger Over a New Map Magnifies a Perception Gulf,” Dec. 2: Your article has a tone suggesting that Iranians’ response to this slight by the National Geographic Society is unreasonable. I wonder how much complaining Americans would partake in if the next National Geographic map of the U.S. identified some of the Western states, such as California, as “formerly Mexico”?

The rationale for the alternate name for the Persian Gulf is “want[ing] people searching for ‘Arabian Gulf’ to be able to find what they’re looking for.” The National Geographic Society needs to stay out of politics.

Hirbod Rashidi

Los Angeles