Trump: Countries expressed interest in joining Abraham Accords after Iran strikes
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Trump teases ‘loading up’ Abraham Accords with new nations after Middle East shakeup
The Abraham Accords sought to normalize relations between Israel, Sunni Gulf States and North African countries. Israel and the U.S. inhibit Iran’s nuclear ambitions during what has been coined the “12-Day War” White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt named Syria as one of the nations the president was keen to join, noting their historic meeting in Saudi Arabia earlier in the year. US special envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff said last Wednesday that expanding the accords is one of president’s “key objectives” and predicted that the administration will have some “big announcements” on countries coming into the Accords soon.”We have some really great countries in there right now, and I think we’re going to start loading them up, because Iran was the primary problem,” the president said.
“We have some really great countries in there right now, and I think we’re going to start loading them up, because Iran was the primary problem…” the president told Maria Bartiromo during an exclusive “Sunday Morning Futures” interview this week.
“We had a period of time when I thought Iran would join the Abraham Accords along with everybody else, and, frankly, they would have been better off than where they are right now,” he continued.
Trump Says Us Would Strike Again If Iran Rebuilds Nuclear Program
President Donald Trump President Donald Trump arrives on the South Lawn of the White House from Camp David on Monday, June 9, 2025.
The Abraham Accords, which sought to normalize relations between Israel, Sunni Gulf States and North African countries, was signed at the White House during the first Trump administration in September 2020.
US special envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff said last Wednesday that expanding the accords is one of the president’s “key objectives” and predicted that the administration will have some “big announcements” on countries coming into the accords soon.
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Last week, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt named Syria as one of the nations the president was keen to join, noting their historic meeting in Saudi Arabia earlier in the year.
“When the president met with the new president of Syria, that was one of the requests he made for Syria to sign onto the Abraham Accords,” Leavitt said.
Trump Says He’ll Drop Sanctions On Syria In Move To Normalize Relations
Prime Minister of Israel Benjamin Netanyahu, U.S. President Donald Trump, Foreign Affairs Minister of Bahrain Abdullatif bin Rashid Al Zayani, and Foreign Affairs Minister of the United Arab Emirates Abdullah bin Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan wave from the Truman Balcony of the White House after the signing ceremony of the Abraham Accords on the South Lawn of the White House on September 15, 2020 in Washington, DC.
One of the largest Hebrew-language outlets, Israel Hayom, recently reported that Israeli National Security Advisor Tzachi Hanegbi said the Middle Eastern countries most likely to join are Syria and Lebanon.
Trump responded to the prospect of Syria’s entry on Sunday.
“I don’t know [if they will join], but I did take off the sanctions at the request of some of the other countries in the area that are friends of ours. I took off the sanctions on Syria… the sanctions are biting. They’re very strong, and we have sanctions on Iran, too…”
Middle East expert Eugene Kontorovich, a senior research fellow at the Heritage Foundation in Washington, D.C., recently told Fox News Digital, “With Iran humiliated, Lebanon and Syria are quite realistic, but I would be impressed if it were soon, as in months. I do expect them to make peace with Israel and come into the Abraham Accords during Trump’s term.”
He added that “Syria could be possible simply because the new government has so much to gain, as it seeks legitimacy.”
Original article source: Trump teases ‘loading up’ Abraham Accords with new nations after Middle East shakeup
Iran sanctions can be lifted if ‘they can be peaceful’ — Trump
US President Donald Trump said he could lift sanctions on Iran if the country demonstrates peaceful behaviour and cooperation with Washington. Trump reiterated his rejection of claims Iran evacuated enriched uranium before US strikes, citing the material’s weight and logistical challenges. He described Iran as “exhausted” from recent Israeli and American strikes, predicting activities would cease temporarily.
“If they can be peaceful, and if they can join us, they are not going to do any more harm, I would take the sanctions off,” Trump said in a Fox News interview aired Sunday.
“You get more sometimes with honey than you do with vinegar,” Trump said, adding sanctions relief “would make a big difference” for Tehran.
He earlier halted sanctions relief work after Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei vowed to attack US bases if Washington renewed strikes against Iranian targets.
Uranium evacuation claims rejected
Trump reiterated his rejection of claims Iran evacuated enriched uranium before US strikes, citing the material’s weight and logistical challenges.
The president said America “did not give much notice” before attacks, making material removal “hard” and “dangerous.”
“They did not move anything. They did not think it was going to be actually doable what we did,” Trump said.
He described Iran as “exhausted” from recent Israeli and American strikes, predicting nuclear activities would cease temporarily.
“Last thing they are going to be doing right now, for a period of time, at least, is nuclear. They have had it,” Trump said.
Abraham Accords expansion anticipated
Trump said that some countries expressed interest in joining the Abraham Accord normalisation agreements between Israel and Arab states, though he did not specify which nations.
“We have some really great countries in there right now, and I think we are going to start loading them up, because Iran was the primary problem,” he said.
Trump Predicts More Nations Will Join Abraham Accords After Iran Strikes
President Donald Trump said he expects more countries will join the Abraham Accords. The treaties seek to normalize relations between Israel and Arab nations. The U.S. military bombed Iranian sites to prevent Tehran from achieving nuclear weapons. Trump: “I actually thought Iran would, I actually, we had a period of time … and frankly they would have been better off than where they are right now” The treaties already include the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Sudan, and Morocco, and are expected to be expanded to include more countries in the future. The Daily Wire reported last month that Trump called on Saudi Arabia to join the treaties.
During an interview on “Sunday Morning Futures,” anchor Maria Bartiromo asked Trump if any other country had suggested to him that they wanted to sign up after the U.S. military bombed Iranian sites to prevent Tehran from achieving nuclear weapons.
.@MariaBartiromo: “Has any other country suggested to you… that they want to join the Abraham Accords?”@POTUS: “Yes. So, we have some really great countries in there right now and I think we’re going to start loading them up because Iran was the primary problem.” pic.twitter.com/LD6AKsPqKU — Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) June 29, 2025
“Yes, so we have some really great countries in there right now, and I think we’re going to start loading them up because Iran was the primary problem. I actually thought Iran would, I actually, we had a period of time where I thought Iran would join the Abraham Accords along with everybody else, and frankly they would have been better off than where they are right now,” Trump said.
Bartiromo asked Trump if Syria in particular would enter the Abraham Accords.
“Well, I don’t know, but I did take off the sanctions at the request of some of the other countries in the area that are friends of ours,” Trump replied. “I took off the sanctions on Syria to give them a chance at, you know, the sanctions are biting. They’re very strong. And we have sanctions on Iran, too. And you know, you take them off when, I sort of gave the expression today, you get more sometimes with honey than you do with vinegar.”
The Daily Wire reported last month that Trump called on Saudi Arabia to join the Abraham Accords, a series of treaties that he put together during his first term that already includes the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Sudan, and Morocco.
“It’s been an amazing thing, the Abraham Accords, and it’s my fervent hope, wish, and even my dream that Saudi Arabia — a place I have such respect for, especially over the last fairly short period of time, what you’ve been able to do — but will soon be joining the Abraham Accords,” Trump said during a speech in Riyadh.
Last week, Special Envoy Steve Witkoff said on CNBC, “One of the President’s key objectives is that the Abraham Accords be expanded … We think we’re going to have some pretty big announcements on countries that are now coming in to the Abraham Peace Accords.”
Trump says ready to lift Iran oil sanctions if it starts to behave
US President Donald Trump said on Sunday he would consider lifting sanctions against Iran if the country shows it is willing to stop hostile behavior and pursue a more peaceful course. Trump also touched on the Israel normalization deals called Abraham Accords, saying the Iranian threat had previously been a major obstacle to broader regional peace. He added that new countries have shown interest in joining the accords following Iran’s setbacks.
“Sanctions cost us a lot of money but I would… start waiving them for countries like Iran, if they behave themselves, where they can sell oil and they can do the things that you want to be able to do,” Trump told Fox News in an interview aired on Sunday.
On June 24, Trump declared on Truth Social that that China can now resume purchasing oil from Iran. One day later, he said he was not aiming to cut off Iran’s oil revenues as it needs it to rebuild after the war with Israel.
However, Trump said on Friday that he halted his work on lifting sanctions on Iran to support its recovery following Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei’s “statement of anger, hatred, and disgust.”
In his Sunday interview, Trump denied suggestions that his administration had allowed China to buy sanctioned Iranian oil, insisting that sanctions remained in place.
But he added that “if they do a job, and if they can be peaceful, and if they can show us they’re not going to do any more harm, I would take the sanctions off.”
Trump also touched on the Israel normalization deals called Abraham Accords, saying the Iranian threat had previously been a major obstacle to broader regional peace.
“Iran was the primary problem,” he said. “I actually thought we had a period of time where I thought Iran would join the Abraham Accords along with everybody else. And, frankly, they would have been better off than where they are right now.”
He added that new countries have shown interest in joining the accords following Iran’s setbacks, without naming specific states.