In a leaked phone call, Donald Trump told Arab leaders he will only broker a peace deal with Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz if they normalize relations with Israel. The most powerful leaders in the Middle East, including those of Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Turkey, and Egypt, joined Trump on a conference call over the weekend to discuss progress toward ending the US-Iran war and reopening the Gulf's vital oil passageway.
In return, Trump pressed the leaders to normalize ties with Israel, a demand aimed at nations that have opposed the Jewish state since its founding in 1948. Arab leaders were so stunned by the demand that they refused to respond, remaining entirely silent on the call, according to Axios. After a prolonged silence, Trump nervously asked, 'Are they still there?' With the silence unbroken, Trump ended the call by announcing that his envoys Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff would follow up on Israel normalization in the weeks ahead.
Trump has long sought to expand the Abraham Accords, his 2020 deal that normalized relations between Israel and the UAE, Bahrain, Sudan, and Morocco. However, Israel's standing among Arab nations has plummeted in the wake of the Gaza war, which has reportedly killed tens of thousands of Palestinians. Kushner and Witkoff have led negotiations for the US in the most significant global conflicts during Trump's second administration, including Iran, Russia-Ukraine and Israel-Gaza.
The Abraham Accords were a key milestone of the first Trump administration. Nations that have signed on so far include Bahrain, Morocco, the UAE and Sudan, as well as Israel. On Sunday morning, Trump addressed his desire for more Middle Eastern states to sign peace agreements with Israel. '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,' Trump wrote on Truth Social. He added: 'Who knows, perhaps the Islamic Republic of Iran would like to join, as well!'
Trump also said the US relationship with Iran was 'becoming a much more professional and productive one.' However, he urged Iran to 'understand' that it could not develop a nuclear weapon or bomb. An oil tanker burns after being hit by an Iranian strike in the ship-to-ship transfer zone at Khor al-Zubair port near Basra, Iraq, late Wednesday, March 11. Trump's main goal after ending the war would reportedly be for Saudi Arabia to sign onto the Abraham Accords.
Trump announced yesterday afternoon that the Iranian peace agreement was 'largely negotiated' but still 'subject to finalization.' 'In addition to many other elements of the Agreement, the Strait of Hormuz will be opened,' he said on Truth Social. Mohammed bin Zayed, the president of the UAE, was among the Muslim leaders who told Trump they supported the deal to end the war, according to Axios.
