Trump sees wider Middle East deal after Iran accord

Evian, June 17 (IANS) President Donald Trump on Wednesday said the newly announced Iran agreement could serve as the foundation for a broader diplomatic settlement across the Middle East, including expanding the Abraham Accords and efforts to reduce long-running regional conflicts.

Speaking after the G7 summit in France, Trump said the agreement with Iran was not only about preventing Tehran from obtaining a nuclear weapon but also about creating conditions for wider regional stability.

“As I expressed to the world leaders here this week, it’s my hope that the peace agreement will be the beginning of a much larger deal all across the Middle East,” Trump told reporters at a news conference.

The President identified expansion of the Abraham Accords as one of the administration’s next major objectives.

“So the expansion of the Abraham Accords is the other thing that we hope we’re going to get,” Trump said.

The Abraham Accords, brokered during Trump’s first term, normalised relations between Israel and several Arab countries, including the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain. Washington has long sought to broaden the framework to include additional countries in the region.

Trump suggested that the new agreement with Iran could alter regional dynamics that had previously discouraged wider participation.

“Everybody was afraid of Iran,” he said.

The President praised the United Arab Emirates, describing its leadership as an early supporter of the accords.

“UAE went in right from the beginning,” Trump said.

Trump also said he had consulted extensively with regional leaders during the summit, including the Emir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani; UAE President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan; Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi; and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.

“I spoke to the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia a number of times,” Trump said. “They’re all so happy about this deal.”

He said the agreement addressed what he viewed as the principal security concern facing Israel and several Arab states.

“Think of what Israel is getting, they’re not going to be nuked,” Trump said. “Very simple.”

Trump argued that the agreement creates an opportunity to pursue additional diplomatic initiatives, including efforts to stabilise Lebanon and address the role of Hezbollah.

Senior US officials later told reporters in a background briefing that future discussions with Iran could extend beyond nuclear issues to include broader regional security concerns.

“After nuclear is gonna be regional stability and funding of proxies,” a senior US official said.

The official said the administration hopes that progress on the nuclear issue could eventually contribute to greater stability across the region and encourage countries to focus more on economic cooperation than conflict.

Trump also pointed to developments in Gaza as part of a broader shift in regional conditions.

“Look at Hamas, Hamas has been very silent,” he said.

While acknowledging that significant challenges remain, Trump said the Iran agreement could create momentum for wider diplomatic engagement across the Middle East.

–IANS

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