While discussions around a possible peace agreement with Tehran continue, Donald Trump is trying to associate it with a broader diplomatic rapprochement in the Middle East.
US President Donald Trump on Monday demanded predominantly Muslim countries, primarily Saudi Arabia and Qatar, to normalize their relations with Israel as part of a potential peace agreement on Iran.
In a lengthy message on his Truth Social platform, Trump listed the countries whose leaders he spoke with on Saturday as part of discussions to end the war with Iran: “I said that after all the work the United States has done to try to resolve this very complex situation, all of these countries should be required, at a minimum, to sign the Abraham Accords simultaneously.”.
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Riyadh maintains its conditions
Signed in 2020 and sponsored by Donald Trump during his first term in the White House, the Abraham Accords led to the normalization of relations between Israel and Arab countries: the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Morocco and Sudan. But many states have so far refused to join this process, in particular Saudi Arabia, as well as Syria and Lebanon, Israel’s neighbors.
With the war in Gaza triggered by the attack of the Palestinian Islamist movement Hamas against Israel on October 7, 2023, Riyadh ruled out any normalization with Israel without the creation of a sovereign and viable Palestinian state. A project which is opposed by the government of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Increased pressure on Gulf countries
Donald Trump wrote Monday that this process of recognition of the Israeli state “Should start with the immediate signing of Saudi Arabia and Qatar, and all others should follow.” “If they don’t do that, they shouldn’t be part of this deal (with Iran), because it shows bad intentions.”a écrit le président américain.
“It’s possible that one or two (countries) will have a reason not to do it, and that will be accepted, but most should be ready.”he added again. Already on Sunday, while American and Iranian officials reported a breakthrough in discussions to find an agreement ending the war, Donald Trump called for “don’t rush to make a deal†avec Téhéran.
