Iranians have launched an online petition to urge the US President Barack Obama to respect the Iranian identity of the Persian Gulf.

The petition is a public reaction to an Obama speech on March 27 in which he referred to the Persian Gulf as 'Gulf'.

The petition says that the Persian Gulf is an ancient historical reality that cannot be manipulated.

Iran designated today, Thursday, April 30, as the National Persian Gulf Day to highlight the fact that the historic waterway, is part of the natural heritage of Iran.

Some Arab countries have launched a campaign to change the Persian Gulf's name to the fake title of the Arabian Gulf.

Saudi Arabia has made conditional taking part in the Islamic Solidarity Games -- Oct 16 to 30 in Tehran -- on Iran's use of the term Arabian Gulf instead of Persian Gulf.

MGH/SME/MMA