U.S. President Donald Trump has recently proposed expanding the Middle East diplomatic framework, seeking to further link U.S.–Iran negotiations with the Abraham Accords. The plan calls on multiple Muslim-majority countries to simultaneously normalise relations with Israel as part of a broader regional peace initiative. However, the proposal has already been rejected by Pakistan.
Trump wrote on social media that he had spoken with leaders from Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Pakistan, Turkey, Egypt, and Jordan, urging them to join an expanded version of the Abraham Accords. He also suggested that Iran could be included in this broader diplomatic framework if it eventually reaches an agreement with the United States, forming what he described as a “historic Middle Eastern alliance.”
The Abraham Accords were first launched during Trump’s first term in 2020, successfully normalising relations between Israel and the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain, followed later by Morocco and Sudan. The agreements broke with decades of Arab states’ reluctance to formally recognise Israel.
However, Pakistan has explicitly rejected the proposal, stating that U.S.–Iran negotiations and recognition of Israel are separate issues that should not be linked, and that it is not obliged to accept such political arrangements. Other invited countries have not yet publicly responded, though overall reactions have been cautious.
Analysts note that amid the ongoing war in Gaza and persistent regional tensions, public opinion in many Muslim-majority countries remains highly sensitive toward Israel, creating significant obstacles to further diplomatic progress.
Commentary:
Trump’s attempt to leverage U.S.–Iran negotiations to expand the Abraham Accords reflects Washington’s broader ambition to reshape the geopolitical landscape of the Middle East through a larger regional framework.
However, most Muslim-majority countries have long-standing tensions with Israel, and normalisation remains highly challenging, particularly while the Palestinian issue remains unresolved. Key players such as Saudi Arabia have repeatedly stressed that meaningful progress on Palestinian statehood would be a prerequisite for formal ties with Israel.
Linking Iran negotiations with regional normalisation efforts may not only fail to advance diplomatic progress, but could also further politicise an already complex Middle Eastern landscape, deepening divisions and increasing uncertainty among the parties involved.