The Ceasefire Wasn't the Only Item on the Agenda

While the world was focused on the US-Iran ceasefire framework, Trump was already looking ahead.

On Saturday, May 24, Trump held a conference call with leaders from Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar, Pakistan, Turkey, Egypt, Jordan, and Bahrain, according to Axios, which cited two US officials familiar with the conversation.

The topic wasn't just Iran. Trump told them directly: if he closes the Iran deal, he expects their countries to normalize relations with Israel.

Dead Silence on the Line

The reaction? Silence. Actual, documented silence.

According to Axios, leaders from Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Pakistan — none of which currently have diplomatic relations with Israel — were caught off guard. One source told Axios there was a moment of silence so long that Trump jokingly asked if everyone was still on the call.

What Trump Is Actually Building

This wasn't an off-the-cuff remark. Trump explicitly invoked the Abraham Accords framework — the 2020 normalization deals that brought the UAE and Bahrain into official relations with Israel. He wants to expand it.

Trump told the leaders his advisers Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff would follow up with each country in the coming weeks, according to Axios and confirmed by the Times of Israel.

Trump also posted about it publicly on social media Sunday, suggesting Iran itself could one day normalize with Israel.

The Saudi piece is the real prize. Trump, Biden before him, and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu have all pursued a Saudi-Israel normalization deal. It hasn't happened. Regional tensions and upcoming Israeli elections are complicating efforts, US officials admitted to Axios.

Israel's Reaction: This Deal Is Bad

Israel is NOT happy with the ceasefire framework.

The Times of Israel reports that senior Israeli officials have warned the agreement — which reportedly starts with a 60-day ceasefire extension — does NOT address Iran's nuclear program, its ballistic missile capabilities, or its support for regional proxies like Hezbollah.

One unnamed Israeli official called it a "bad deal." Another said it was "highly problematic." A Channel 12 report quoted officials saying: "As it seems, [the agreement] does not serve Israel's interest."

The specific fear: Iran gets 60 days to breathe, recover economically, rearm, and then the window for military pressure closes. As one official put it, after that kind of recovery period, "it will be hard for the Americans and us to go back and fight."

Rubio Pumps the Brakes

Secretary of State Marco Rubio told the New York Times directly that a nuclear deal "could not be achieved in 72 hours on the back of a napkin."

Trump, for his part, called critics of the deal "losers" on social media and said he told negotiators not to rush.

What the Coverage Is Missing

Much of the news coverage frames this as a Trump foreign policy victory. The Abraham Accords push is real and significant — expanding those agreements would be a genuine geopolitical achievement. But the silence from Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Pakistan on that call is telling. These governments have domestic audiences. Normalizing with Israel while Gaza is still a live issue is politically difficult for them.

The nuclear issue is NOT resolved. The 60-day ceasefire extension is a pause, not a solution. Iran's centrifuges don't stop spinning because a phone call happened.

Israel — the US's closest regional ally — is alarmed.

The Reality on the Ground

Trump is attempting to use the Iran ceasefire as leverage to reshape the entire Middle East diplomatic map.

Right now, the Arab leaders are silent, Israel is worried, Iran's nuclear program is unaddressed, and Rubio is managing expectations in real time.

For Americans watching oil markets: the Strait of Hormuz reopening is stabilizing prices, which matters at the gas pump. But if this ceasefire framework collapses — or if Iran uses the pause to rebuild — the cost comes back fast.