Trump Vows to Expand Abraham Accords - Faith & Freedom News

US President signals major diplomatic breakthroughs on Middle East peace initiatives during Oval Office remarks

April 26, 2025

US President Donald Trump announced Thursday that his administration is making significant progress on expanding the Abraham Accords and advancing negotiations with Iran over its nuclear program, potentially reshaping Middle Eastern geopolitics in his second term.

Speaking to reporters during a meeting with Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store in the Oval Office, Trump expressed confidence that more countries would soon join the normalization agreements with Israel that his administration first brokered in 2020.

“We are going to be filling it up very rapidly… A lot of countries want to come into the Abraham Accords,” Trump stated, adding that when asked whether he deserves the Nobel Peace Prize, he responded: “Maybe for the Abraham Accords.”

Saudi Arabia and Syria as Potential New Participants

The President specifically mentioned Saudi Arabia as a likely candidate to join the agreements. “Saudi Arabia will go into the Abraham Accords,” Trump asserted. “That will happen.”

His comments come as two Republican congressmen, Marlin Stutzman of Indiana and Cory Mills of Florida, revealed after their recent visit to Damascus that Syrian leader Ahmad al-Sharaa has expressed openness to normalizing relations with Israel under certain conditions.

“Sharaa said that he was open to the Abraham Accords, which would put them in good standing with Israel, other Middle Eastern countries, and, of course, the United States,” Representative Stutzman told the Jerusalem Post.

According to Stutzman, Sharaa’s primary condition is that Syria must remain a unified and sovereign state. “He didn’t want to see [Syria] divided up into regions,” Stutzman explained. “He also mentioned that Israel’s encroachment near the Golan Heights must be addressed and there should be no further bombings in Syria by Israel.”

Expanding Beyond Arab Nations

The diplomatic initiative may extend beyond Arab countries, with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu expected to visit Azerbaijan in the coming days. Netanyahu has advocated for expanding the accords beyond the Arab Sunni world, identifying Azerbaijan as a key candidate.

In a March address to the Israeli parliament, Netanyahu reaffirmed Israel’s commitment to a trilateral alliance with Baku and Washington, suggesting the normalization framework could include non-Arab Muslim-majority nations as well.

Progress on Iran Nuclear Negotiations

In addition to expanding the Abraham Accords, Trump revealed significant progress in negotiations with Iran regarding its nuclear program.

“We’re doing very well on an agreement with Iran… that one is well on its way,” Trump told reporters. He emphasized that there are “only two options” regarding Iran’s nuclear ambitions, implying a military option exists but might not be necessary given the progress in talks.

“We could have a very, very good decision, and a lot of lives will be saved,” the President added.

In a separate interview with TIME magazine published on April 25, Trump clarified his position on Israel’s potential military action against Iran. When asked about reports that he had prevented Israel from attacking Iran’s nuclear sites, Trump stated: “I didn’t stop them [Israel]. But I didn’t make it comfortable for them, because I think we can make a deal without the attack.”

“Ultimately, I was going to leave that choice to them, but I said I would much prefer a deal than bombs being dropped,” he explained.

Trump also confirmed he would be open to meeting directly with Iran’s President or Supreme Leader, responding affirmatively when asked about the possibility.

Middle East Diplomatic Tour Planned

Trump is scheduled to visit Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates next month for meetings with regional leaders, potentially setting the stage for further diplomatic breakthroughs.

The Abraham Accords, first launched in 2020 during Trump’s first term, initially included the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain, with Sudan and Morocco joining later. The agreements represented a historic shift in Middle Eastern diplomacy, establishing formal ties between Israel and several Arab nations that had previously refused to recognize the Jewish state.

As Trump’s administration advances these diplomatic initiatives, the potential expansion of the Abraham Accords and progress on an Iran nuclear deal could significantly reshape the geopolitical landscape of the Middle East, potentially leading to greater regional stability if successful.

Foreign policy experts note that these diplomatic efforts, if they come to fruition, would represent major foreign policy achievements for Trump’s second term and could indeed strengthen his case for the Nobel Peace Prize that he referenced in his remarks.