Trump Pushes 7 Nations to Join Accords in Iran Deal Gambit

Former President Donald Trump is tying a landmark peace deal with Iran to a broad expansion of the Abraham Accords, pressuring at least seven regional powers to normalize relations with Israel.

In a significant diplomatic maneuver, former President Donald Trump is leveraging ongoing peace talks with Iran to demand that more Muslim-majority nations, including Saudi Arabia and Qatar, join the Abraham Accords, according to statements made over the Memorial Day weekend. The move seeks to fundamentally transform the 2020 normalization agreements into a cornerstone of a wider regional settlement.

"After all the work done by the United States to try and pull this very complex puzzle together, it should be mandatory that all of these Countries, at a minimum, simultaneously, sign onto the Abraham Accords," Trump wrote in a lengthy post on his Truth Social platform Monday.

The push came after a Saturday conference call with leaders from Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar, Pakistan, Turkey, Egypt, and Jordan, where Trump reportedly surprised participants by linking the Iran deal to Israeli normalization. The move has introduced a new, complex variable into negotiations that officials described as "largely negotiated," with a potential agreement including the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz and Iran disposing of its highly enriched uranium. U.S. stocks rose Friday on optimism for a resolution, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average gaining 0.7%.

Trump's high-stakes gambit aims to reshape the Middle East's political map, but risks complicating an already fragile peace process. For markets, a successful grand bargain could significantly lower the geopolitical risk premium on oil, which has been elevated since the conflict began. A failure, however, could lead to what Trump himself warned could be a "bigger and stronger" conflict if diplomacy fails.

The Iran Deal Context

Negotiations to end the war with Iran, which have been mediated by Pakistan and Qatar, appeared to be reaching a critical stage. A senior Trump administration official told CBS News on Sunday that Iran had agreed in principle to a deal involving the disposal of its highly enriched uranium and the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz. In return, Iran would see some of its frozen assets abroad unfrozen and sanctions relief.

However, signals from the negotiating parties have been mixed. Secretary of State Marco Rubio suggested a deal could materialize "today," while Iranian officials maintained an agreement was not imminent, accusing Washington of shifting its positions. Iran's top negotiator, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, arrived in Qatar on Monday as part of the diplomatic process.

The urgency for a deal is underscored by the economic pressure from the conflict, particularly the near-total closure of the Strait of Hormuz, a conduit for about 20% of the world's oil.

A 'Mandatory' Expansion

Trump's new condition dramatically expands the scope of the talks. On a Saturday call intended to unify backing for the Iran deal, he informed leaders he expected all nations without formal relations with Israel to establish them once the war ended. The request was met with "silence on the line," according to one official cited by Axios.

In his public posts, Trump was more direct, listing the countries he expects to join: "Saudi Arabia, The United Arab Emirates (already a Member!), Qatar, Pakistan, Turkiye, Egypt, Jordan, and Bahrain (already a Member!)." He specifically called for the "immediate signing by Saudi Arabia and Qatar."

The move was praised by allies like Republican Senator Lindsey Graham, who called it a "brilliant move" that would be "beyond transformative for the region and world." However, it puts nations like Saudi Arabia in a difficult position. The kingdom has previously stated that normalization is contingent on a "clear path" toward a two-state solution for the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, a topic notably absent from the Abraham Accords.

Market and Regional Reaction

The prospect of a grand regional bargain has been met with cautious optimism in financial markets, which have been strained by high energy prices and supply chain disruptions stemming from the conflict. The S&P 500 and Nasdaq Composite both gained on Friday amid reports of progress.

However, the new conditionality introduces significant uncertainty. While the UAE and Bahrain joined the original accords in 2020, the agreements remain unpopular with much of the public across the Arab world. Forcing the issue as part of the Iran deal could destabilize governments or scuttle the entire peace process.

Trump even floated the idea of Iran, Israel's bitter adversary, eventually joining the "unparalleled World Coalition." While he framed it as an "Honor," Tehran has refused to recognize Israel for decades, making such an outcome a remote possibility under its current leadership. The success of Trump's audacious strategy now depends on whether regional powers see a comprehensive peace deal as worth the political cost of normalizing relations with Israel.

This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute investment advice.