Trump asks Arab nations to join Abraham Accords amid fresh strikes on Iran

Fresh strikes by the United States (US) in southern Iran added to tensions in West Asia, even as President Donald Trump pushed for a broader regional deal linking any future Iran agreement to an expansion of the Abraham Accords, according to several media reports.

According to reports by The New York Times and The Times of Israel, Trump on Monday said that countries participating in a future regional arrangement involving Iran should also join the Abraham Accords, the US-backed agreement between Israel and several Arab states launched in 2020.

The remarks came as the US military carried out what it described as “self-defence strikes” near Bandar Abbas and other areas in southern Iran, targeting missile-launch sites and boats allegedly attempting to lay mines in the Strait of Hormuz. US Central Command said the action was aimed at protecting US forces during the ongoing ceasefire period. The development has raised concerns about the fragility of the current ceasefire efforts.

Despite the military action, negotiations between the US and Iran appear to be continuing. According to a Reuters report, Iranian negotiators were in Doha for discussions involving Qatar, with talks focused on a possible framework to end the conflict and reopen the Strait of Hormuz.

Trump, while speaking about the negotiations, said any future regional arrangement should include recognition of Israel through the Abraham Accords, referring to countries such as Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Egypt and Jordan while discussing the proposal.

The Abraham Accords, signed during Trump’s first term, led to normalisation agreements between Israel and countries, including the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain. The US has long viewed the accords as a cornerstone of its regional diplomacy strategy.

However, the accords remain difficult amid the ongoing Gaza conflict, Israel strikes on Hezbollah and broader instability across the region. Saudi Arabia has repeatedly maintained that any normalisation with Israel would require credible progress towards Palestinian statehood.