Saudi, UAE 'Owe It to Us' to Join Abraham Accords: Trump

US President Donald Trump linked the future of a potential US-Iran deal to Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Qatar signing the Abraham Accords, telling reporters that these states “owe it to” the United States to formally join the normalisation framework with Israel.

Trump, speaking during a cabinet meeting on Thursday, said he might reconsider proceeding with the agreement with Iran if those countries decline to participate in the Abraham Accords, arguing that their support is now central to Washington’s broader diplomatic approach in West Asia.

Abraham Accords at centre of US-Iran deal debate

Explaining his stance, Trump said, “I am not sure we should make the deal if they don't sign. You want to know the truth. If they don't sign to join the Abraham Accords, I don't know. we have countries in there already. UAE, great, great countries, bold countries.”

Trump further stated, “It'll be historic if they do it. I think they owe that to us, to be honest, I think, because that really would be a tremendous time. And I think those countries owe it to us,” presenting the accords as a key test of regional partners’ commitment.

Abraham Accords were first arranged during Trump’s earlier term and encourage several Muslim-majority states to formalise economic, diplomatic and security ties with Israel. On Monday, Trump had “urged” Pakistan and West Asian countries, including Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Turkey and Jordan, to join the Abraham Accords and recognise Israel as part of efforts linked to ending the US-Iran conflict.

Military pressure and Strait of Hormuz tensions over Abraham Accords

While this political pressure over the Abraham Accords continued, military activity also escalated. A US official told Reuters on Wednesday that the US military carried out fresh overnight strikes in Iran against a site viewed as threatening US forces and commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz, and also shot down multiple Iranian drones judged to pose similar risks.

The same official, who requested anonymity, said these US military actions took place amid negotiations aimed at halting a three-month-old war, which started on February 28 with US and Israeli attacks, causing thousands of deaths and a sharp rise in global energy prices as shipping routes faced disruption.

Iranian state media had earlier reported that a tentative memorandum of understanding existed between the United States and Iran, saying Washington would lift its blockade in the Strait of Hormuz in return for shipping volumes returning to pre-war levels, linking maritime access to the broader talks surrounding the US-Iran deal and regional arrangements including the Abraham Accords.

The United States strongly rejected that narrative, calling the reported understanding a false claim. “This report from Iranian controlled media is not true and the MOU they 'released' is a complete fabrication. Nobody should believe what Iranian state media is putting out. FACTS MATTER," the White House's rapid response account posted on X, stressing there was no such agreement.

Trump also dismissed another Iranian state media claim on Wednesday that Iran and Oman would jointly manage shipping through the Strait of Hormuz as part of a peace package. Trump insisted the crucial waterway would remain open, while keeping pressure on regional governments over the Abraham Accords and linking their decisions to the future of any US-Iran deal.