When U.S. President Donald Trump declared that Iran’s nuclear arsenal had been “totally obliterated” and urged all Middle Eastern countries to join the Abraham Accords, the message was loud and clear: the regional power structure is being reset, and Iran is being squeezed out.
Trump’s tweet wasn’t merely a call for peace; it was a geopolitical play to consolidate anti-Iran alliances under the banner of normalization with Israel. For Iran, which has long framed itself as the leader of the “Resistance” in the region, this is not just diplomatic exclusion it’s an existential threat.
Since their inception in 2020, the Abraham Accords, brokered by the Trump administration have been vehemently opposed by Iran. Tehran sees these deals not just as betrayal of the Palestinian cause, but also as a direct threat to its regional standing.
The Islamic Republic has always relied on support for Palestine as a central component of its ideological and strategic narrative. It brands itself as the only true resistance against “Zionist oppression” while funding and arming proxies like:
- Hezbollah in Lebanon
- Hamas (until recent distance) and Palestinian Islamic Jihad in Gaza
- Houthis in Yemen
- Shiite militias in Iraq
- Formerly, the Assad regime in Syria
As Arab nations, one after another, normalize ties with Israel, Iran’s entire regional influence architecture begins to unravel. The Abraham Accords, in this sense, act as a diplomatic blockade, isolating Iran without boots on the ground.
Perhaps the biggest strategic setback for Iran has come not from the Gulf, but from Damascus.
After decades of propping up Bashar al-Assad during Syria’s brutal civil war, Iran now finds itself cast aside by the new interim government under Ahmed Al Sharaa, who has signalled alignment with Israel.
This is a seismic shift. Syria was the geostrategic linchpin in Iran’s “Shia Crescent” the land corridor that stretched from Iran through Iraq, Syria, and Lebanon to the Mediterranean. Losing Syria to normalization efforts and Israeli-friendly diplomacy breaks that chain.
Many Arab states are increasingly unwilling to be dragged into Iran’s ideological wars, especially when economic priorities, foreign investments, and post-oil futures are at stake. This is where Trump’s push for more countries to join the Abraham Accords becomes strategic. It’s not just about “peace” it’s about building a region-wide anti-Iran alliance dressed up as diplomatic cooperation.
Even countries that don’t recognize Israel, like Pakistan, are now publicly debating their stance on Palestine. In a controversial statement, Najam Sethi, a senior political figure, called the Palestinian issue “Not a Muslim problem”, arguing that Pakistan should not base foreign policy on emotional or religious sentiment. With Iran weakened, Israel expanding diplomatic ties, and Arab states choosing economic gains over religious solidarity, countries like Pakistan are recalculating their positions and selling their morals.
