US President Donald Trump has asked leaders of several Arab and Muslim countries that if a deal to end the Iran war is reached, he wants their nations to sign peace agreements with Israel, said two US officials with direct knowledge of the call.
Trump’s remarks signaled the next major step he envisions in the Middle East after the war: expanding the Abraham Accords, Axios reports.
His primary goal is a Saudi‑Israeli peace agreement, though the current regional climate and Israel’s upcoming election make any breakthrough difficult.
Trump, during a Saturday conference, spoke with leaders of Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Pakistan, Turkey, Egypt, Jordan, and Bahrain about the emerging deal with Iran.
UAE President Mohammed bin Zayed, known for his hawkish stance on Iran, voiced support. “They all said, ‘We are with you on this deal. And if it doesn’t work, we will be with you too,’” a US official said.
Trump told the leaders he would next call Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and expressed hope that Israel’s leader would soon join such discussions.
He said that once the war with Iran ends, he expects all countries not yet part of the Abraham Accords or lacking peace agreements with Israel to normalize relations with the Jewish state.
Officials said leaders from Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Pakistan — who do not have formal ties with Israel — were surprised by Trump’s request. “There was silence on the line, and Trump joked and asked if they are still there,” one official recalled. Trump added that his envoys Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff would follow up in the coming weeks.
On Sunday, Trump wrote on Truth Social: “I would like to thank, thus far, all of the countries of the Middle East for their support and cooperation, which will be further enhanced and strengthened by their joining the Nations of the historic Abraham Accords.”
He even floated the idea of Iran joining one day, though that would require Tehran to recognise Israel — something the regime has refused for decades.
Senator Lindsey Graham (R‑SC), a critic of the emerging Iran deal but a strong advocate for expanding the Abraham Accords, backed Trump’s request.
Writing on X, Graham said, “If in fact as a result of these negotiations to end the Iranian conflict, our Arab and Muslim allies in the region agreed to join the Abraham Accords, it would make this agreement one of the most consequential in the history of the Middle East.”
He warned Saudi Arabia and others that refusal to follow Trump’s path would have “severe repercussions” and be seen as a “major miscalculation.”
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has previously expressed willingness to normalize relations with Israel but cooled on the issue over the past year. Trump pressed him to join the Accords during an Oval Office meeting last November, but the crown prince resisted, leading to a tense exchange.
The Iran war and Saudi Arabia’s rift with the UAE have hardened Riyadh’s position toward Israel’s far‑right government. Saudi officials insist normalization requires Israel to commit to an irreversible, time‑bound path toward a Palestinian state, a demand Israel’s government rejects.
US and Israeli officials believe Riyadh will not move forward until after Israel’s September elections and the formation of a new government.
