Trump demands Arab nations join Abraham Accords to seal Iran deal

Former US President Donald Trump has linked a potential peace deal with Iran to a mandatory expansion of the Abraham Accords by Muslim-majority nations. The new demand was made as a memorandum of understanding between the US and Iran to end hostilities appears to be progressing.

In a social media post, Trump asserted that it should be “mandatory” for countries involved in the Iran peace efforts to simultaneously sign the normalization agreements with Israel. He specifically named Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Pakistan, Turkiye, Egypt, and Jordan, while noting the existing membership of the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain. He emphasized that the process should begin with the “immediate signing by Saudi Arabia and Qatar,” adding that nations that do not join should not be part of the Iran deal as it would show “bad intention.”

US Senator Lindsey Graham, a close ally of Trump, endorsed the move, calling it “brilliant” and warning of “severe repercussions” for future relationships with countries that refuse to join. Graham stated that Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Pakistan joining the accords would be “beyond transformative for the region and world.”

While Pakistani officials have not issued a fresh statement, the Foreign Office’s established position is that any normalization is contingent on the creation of a viable, contiguous Palestinian state with Al-Quds Al-Sharif as its capital. Pakistan has been mediating the US-Iran talks, with Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Asim Munir recently holding high-level meetings in Tehran that reportedly resulted in “encouraging progress” toward a final agreement.