Trump Revives Abraham Accords Push, Urges Saudi Arabia, Pakistan to Join

President Donald Trump said he wants to push forward with the Abraham Accords, the framework for establishing diplomatic ties between Israel and major Arab states including Saudi Arabia.

In a Truth Social post on May 24, Trump wrote that he had told Iran's negotiating team "not to rush into a deal" before abruptly turning to the Abraham Accords.

"I want to express my deepest gratitude to all of the countries in the Middle East that have given their support and cooperation so far," Trump wrote. "That support and cooperation will be strengthened and solidified further by joining the historic Abraham Accords." He added, "Who knows, maybe the Islamic Republic of Iran would like to join the Accords as well!"

During his first term, Trump oversaw agreements spearheaded by his son-in-law Jared Kushner under which Israel separately normalized relations with the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain. Those deals became known as the Abraham Accords, a reference to Abraham as a shared patriarch in Christianity, Judaism and Islam.

Trump has continued to signal that he wants to expand the accords in his second term if the opportunity arises. His latest comments suggest he sees the war involving Iran as a chance to ease turmoil in the Middle East and strengthen Israel's standing in the region.

Trump also raised the issue in calls with 10 regional leaders on May 23, according to Axios. The outlet, citing unnamed officials, reported that Trump told the leaders he wanted them to sign peace agreements with Israel if a deal is reached to end the war with Iran.

He also told them he expects every leader that has not yet joined the Abraham Accords or made peace with Israel to normalize relations with the Jewish state after the war with Iran ends, Axios reported.

Axios said the leaders of Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Pakistan, which do not have formal diplomatic ties with Israel, were surprised by Trump's request. "There was silence on the line, and Trump joked and asked if they were still there," the outlet reported.

Senator Lindsey Graham, a South Carolina Republican known for his support of Israel, praised the idea. "If, as a result of these negotiations to end the conflict with Iran, Arab and Muslim allies in the region actually agree to join the Abraham Accords, this would be one of the most significant agreements in the history of the Middle East," he said.

Graham said Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Pakistan joining the accords would bring an "unimaginable transformation" to the region and the wider world. He called it "President Trump's brilliant vision."

He also urged countries including Saudi Arabia to make what he described as a bold decision for the future of a "new Middle East." Refusing to do so would seriously harm their future relationship with the US and make the current peace proposal unacceptable, he said.

Graham also called on Trump not to back down from pressing countries including Saudi Arabia to join the Abraham Accords.

Whether such an agreement can produce results remains unclear. Saudi Arabia has uneasy relations not only with Iran and Israel, but more recently has also been at odds with the UAE, which has coordinated with Israel.

Pakistan's army chief, Field Marshal Asim Munir, met Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian on May 23 and said Israel seeks to profit from conflict and discord among Muslims in the region, Iran's Tasnim News Agency reported. Munir also said Israel is deeply hostile toward anyone, including himself, who is trying to resolve the conflict, and has no interest in establishing regional stability and security, according to the report.

Arab states are also likely to face a heavy burden in restoring diplomatic ties with Israel while the Palestinian issue remains unresolved. Without special incentives, pressure from Trump alone may not be enough to improve relations.

Washington=Lee Sang-eun, correspondent

Washington=Lee Sang-eun, Hankyung.com reporter selee@hankyung.com