US President Donald Trump is urging leaders from several Arab and Muslim-majority countries to join the Abraham Accords and normalize relations with Israel if an Iran war-ending deal is reached. This call came during a conference call on Saturday involving leaders from Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Pakistan, Turkey, Egypt, Jordan, and Bahrain.
US officials told Axios that Trump expressed hope for Israel’s inclusion in similar regional talks and pushed for broader diplomatic recognition of the Jewish state. A US official stated that all countries agreed to support the Iran deal and would stand by it if needed.
Leaders from nations without ties with Israel, including Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Pakistan, were taken aback by Trump’s request. One US official noted there was silence on the line during the call before Trump joked about their presence.
Trump later thanked all Middle Eastern countries for their support and cooperation on Truth Social, stating that this would be further enhanced and strengthened by their joining the Abraham Accords. Saudi Arabia has previously shown openness to normalising ties with Israel but insists progress towards a Palestinian state is necessary before any agreement can proceed.