The White House Thursday said the U.S. alliance with its Gulf and Arab partners and Israel is expected to grow significantly since the ceasefire between Iran and Israel, following the U.S. strike on the Islamic Republic’s key nuclear facilities.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters at a briefing that, while President Trump and Special Envoy Steven Witkoff are in communication with the Iranians to come to a peace agreement next week, more Gulf states could be added to the Abraham Accords.
The Abraham Accords is a 2020 agreement negotiated by the U.S. with the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain. As part of the agreements, the UAE and Bahrain recognized Israel’s sovereignty and established full diplomatic relations.
“As for our alliance with the State of Israel, that friendship and that partnership…I would argue, it has never been stronger,” Ms. Leavitt said. “And we see a new era in which perhaps some of these Gulf and Arab states can sign on to the Abraham Accords.”
Other potential countries being eyed to join the alliance are Lebanon and Saudi Arabia.
“That was one of the president’s most signature accomplishments in his first term, and he’d like to see more of those countries sign on in this second term, and so we look forward to sustaining a long and durable peace in the region, and the president wants to do that through a diplomatic solution,” she said. “But as he proved on Saturday night, he’s willing and he’s not afraid to use strength if we need to do it.”
Last month, President Trump traveled to the Middle East and met with Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa. He called on him to have his country join the Abraham Accords but was unable to convince the Syrian president to do so at that time.
