I was surprised to see this watermelon display at the Deira Fish Market in Dubai, UAE, because I didn’t think the Persian Gulf was conducive to growing them. But then I learned Iran is the world’s third largest producer of the fruit, more than twice the cultivation of the United States. I was further surprised when I heard a persistent rumor that Arabian watermelons had been injected with HIV that causes AIDS. The accusation has consistently been proven false and tests show that the fruit’s acidity would kill the virus.