On the second day of his Middle East tour, U.S. President Donald Trump stated on May 14 (local time), "I want to reach an agreement with Iran, but for that to happen, Iran must not possess nuclear weapons and must stop supporting terrorism."
According to Al Jazeera and other outlets, President Trump made these remarks during a speech at the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) summit held in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
President Trump called on Iran to "end its bloody proxy wars and permanently, verifiably halt its pursuit of nuclear weapons." He criticized former U.S. President Joe Biden, saying, "He empowered Iran and its proxies," and added, "Those days are over."
The previous day, at an investment event in Riyadh, President Trump had also combined inducement and pressure toward Iran. He emphasized, "As President of the United States, I always prefer peace and partnership, and I will always act accordingly if such outcomes can be achieved."
He further stated, "If Iran's leadership rejects the olive branch and continues to attack its neighboring countries, we will have no choice but to impose maximum pressure to bring Iran's oil exports down to zero, just as before." He also described Iran as "the most destructive force in the Middle East."
The United States and Iran held four rounds of high-level nuclear talks in Oman, mediated by Oman, from April 12 to May 11, and both sides have so far assessed the talks positively.
Meanwhile, before attending the GCC summit, President Trump met for the first time with Ahmed Alshara, the interim president of Syria, for talks.
President Trump stated, "We are seeking to normalize relations with Syria's new government," and added, "The sanctions relief I ordered yesterday is intended as a new beginning for Syria." He went on to say, "We will continue to add more countries to the Abraham Accords" (the agreements to normalize diplomatic relations between Israel and Middle Eastern Arab and Islamic countries). President Trump had also urged Saudi Arabia to join the Abraham Accords the previous day. According to the White House, President Alshara requested that American companies invest in Syria's oil and gas sectors.
President Trump began the meeting with President Alshara with a warm handshake in the presence of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. Crown Prince Mohammed attended the summit, and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan participated online.
Regarding Lebanon, President Trump said, "With the inauguration of a new president and prime minister, Lebanon is facing new opportunities," and added, "There is a possibility that Lebanon will have a future free from Hezbollah's grip." This comment appears to reflect the fact that Lebanon elected a pro-U.S. president earlier this year. Regarding the Gaza war, he said, "I hope for a future in which the safety and dignity of the Palestinian people are guaranteed," and expressed his gratitude to GCC leaders for playing a constructive role in efforts to end the conflict.
During the summit, Crown Prince Mohammed said, "I highly appreciate President Trump's decision yesterday to lift sanctions on our brother nation Syria," and added, "This will help alleviate the suffering of the Syrian people." Qatari outlet Al Arabi Al Jadeed reported, citing sources, that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had asked President Trump not to lift sanctions on Syria.
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