Middle East — 2026-05-25

Trump Asks Muslim Leaders to Sign Peace Deal With Israel After Iran War Ends

BLUFDespite Trump's public pressure, Saudi Arabia is unlikely to announce intent to normalize with Israel before year-end 2026, since Riyadh will await a new Israeli government and a credible Palestinian statehood pathway.

On Saturday, Trump told leaders of Saudi Arabia, UAE, Qatar, Pakistan, Turkey, Egypt, Jordan, and Bahrain that he expects nations outside the Abraham Accords to normalize relations with Israel after the Iran war ends, two U.S. officials told Axios 12. Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Pakistan, which have no diplomatic ties with Israel, were reportedly surprised; a U.S. official told Axios the call went silent before Trump joked asking if they were still there 134. In a Truth Social post Sunday, Trump referenced the request publicly and suggested Iran might "perhaps" join the Accords as well 12. Trump said envoys Kushner and Witkoff would follow up within weeks, and Senator Graham endorsed the demand on X, warning of "severe repercussions" for countries that refuse 14.

Analysis
Trump's demand unlikely produces a formal Saudi announcement of intent to normalize with Israel by December 31, 2026. Riyadh's condition, an irreversible, time-bound pathway to Palestinian statehood, remains structurally incompatible with the current Israeli government's position. September's Israeli elections mean Riyadh will not commit to concrete terms before a new government is seated in Jerusalem. Confidence is low: reporting rests on a single Axios source with two unnamed U.S. officials and no independent corroboration, and Mohammed bin Salman's internal calculus remains opaque to open-source collection. The normalization push may instead function primarily as political cover for Netanyahu, offering visible diplomatic upside to offset Israeli alarm over the Iran deal. If that assessment holds, Saudi defense package timelines conditioned on normalization progress require adjustment beyond 2026.

4 sources

Trump asked Muslim leaders to sign peace deal with Israel after Iran war ends - Axios
Trump reportedly asked Muslim, Arab leaders to normalize ties with Israel if Iran deal reached - The Times of Israel
Trump is pushing Muslim nations to normalise ties with Israel after Iran war - The News International (Pakistan)
'Are You Still There?' — Trump Stuns Muslim Leaders With Demand to Recognise Israel - IBTimes UK