Israel, Gulf states are pressing Washington to hold the line on Iran

2026-03-26 - 14:44

Israel and at least two Gulf states have been conducting direct high-level diplomatic contacts throughout the war – contacts that have intensified sharply in recent days as the White House signals potential progress in talks with Iran, three diplomatic sources in the region and the West told Israel Hayom. The Gulf states and Israel have been coordinating their messaging to the Trump administration with a single unified goal: to prevent a ceasefire from being reached before Iran has accepted a set of baseline conditions that the White House itself put forward. According to three diplomatic sources in the region and the West, these contacts – which have run throughout the war and have grown more frequent in recent days – are designed to deliver coordinated messages, align military and diplomatic moves, and lay the groundwork for future political progress. They take place at a senior diplomatic level. The contacts have intensified following President Trump's announcements of progress in talks with Iran and the possibility of a ceasefire to allow negotiations. Trump announced that he would not carry out the two-day ultimatum to bomb Iran's power stations and instead gave the Tehran regime a new ultimatum of five days to accept the terms of the proposed framework and enter talks. An Iranian strike on Dubai, UAE (Photo: AFP) Iran stalled for time and ultimately announced it would not accept the American paper, but did not completely shut the door. In the past 24 hours, the possibility has emerged that talks could open regardless of Iran's denials, and that a ceasefire could be declared as part of the process. Israel and the Gulf states are on the same page Based on information reaching Israel Hayom from diplomatic sources, Israel and the Gulf states have presented Washington with a unified position: before any commitment to a ceasefire, Iran must agree to a set of fundamental conditions. Most of those conditions have already been publicly stated by President Trump and other senior administration officials, and, according to some reports, were included in the American paper that Iran rejected. They include an advance commitment to dismantling Iran's military nuclear project – including transferring enriched uranium to the IAEA (the UN's nuclear watchdog), destroying all sites associated with the program, and establishing tight international oversight to prevent its renewal – as well as sharp restrictions on Iran's missile program. The conditions also include an Iranian commitment to halt military hostility toward regional states – including through its affiliated terrorist organizations – along with deterrence mechanisms in the event of a violation, and the guarantee of completely free passage through the Strait of Hormuz, free from any military threat. According to the information, the contacts between Israel and at least two Gulf states involve "senior diplomatic figures." It can be assessed that on the Israeli side, these include Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former minister Ron Dermer, whom Netanyahu has recently recalled for a "reserve duty" role for the duration of the war. US President Donald Trump's post on Truth Social (Screenshot: Truth Social) Direct and covert channels The countries with which Israel maintains direct and public ties are the Abraham Accords states – the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain. According to foreign reports, a covert channel of some degree also exists with Saudi Arabia. In the broader circle of dialogue are also Jordan and Egypt, both of which have been affected by the war and by Iran's moves. Egypt has drawn criticism from Gulf states for not fully siding with them, and is now attempting to position itself as a mediator between Iran and the US. This joint effort has received acknowledgment and understanding within the Trump administration, which is awaiting Iran's response to the American position paper. Trump wrote Thursday on Truth Social that "the Iranian negotiators are very different and 'strange.'" He said they are "begging" for a deal, as they should be, since they "have been defeated militarily, without any chance of return," yet are publicly declaring that they are merely "looking at our proposal." "Wrong!!! They'd better take this seriously soon, before it's too late, because once that happens, there is no going back, and it won't be pretty!" he wrote. A diplomatic official told Israel Hayom that the door at the White House is wide open to the Israeli and Gulf positions, and the sense is that no ceasefire will happen without the knowledge and coordination of all countries involved, including Israel. A prominent signal of Gulf positions, coordinated with Israel, came from the United Arab Emirates – the country that has been hit hardest by Iranian attacks, including two people killed Thursday in Abu Dhabi. Removing the Iranian threat – a fundamental condition UAE Ambassador to Washington Yousef al-Otaiba published an op-ed in The Wall Street Journal in which he effectively rejected any ceasefire without preconditions and declared his country's readiness to intensify efforts across all domains, including military, to counter Iran's attacks. Al-Otaiba explicitly defined the removal of the Iranian threat as a fundamental condition for any ceasefire or future agreement. The Emirati ambassador to the US, Yousef al-Otaiba (Photo: Getty Images) "A simple ceasefire is not enough. We need a decisive outcome that addresses the full range of Iran's threats: nuclear capabilities, missiles, drones, terrorist proxies, and blockades of international sea lanes... We want Iran to be a normal neighbor. It can be reclusive and even unfriendly, but it cannot attack its neighbors, block international waters, or export extremism." More than a hint of Gulf concern about a premature ceasefire can be found in the stream of statements from their embassies in Washington and foreign ministries. Among the most prominent was an announcement that the UAE had joined the American coalition to reopen the Strait of Hormuz. The statement said the UAE rejects a ceasefire with Iran without preconditions and demands, first, the complete dismantling of Tehran's network of threats. Ambassador al-Otaiba confirmed that his country would join efforts to reopen the Strait of Hormuz – a vital artery for global oil – and reaffirmed a commitment to a $1.4 trillion investment in the United States. The Gulf states have so far refrained from direct strikes against Iran, limiting themselves to defensive operations, but that picture may change. Anwar Gargash, the senior political adviser to UAE ruler Mohamed bin Zayed, said Thursday that attacks against civilians, infrastructure, and energy and maritime navigation security "will not go unanswered," and made clear that the right to self-defense is guaranteed. Saudi Arabia aligns with the Gulf Saudi Arabia has also moved to consolidate a unified Gulf position. The Saudi embassy published a joint and sharply worded condemnation of Iran on Thursday. #Statement | The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the State of Qatar, the State of Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates, the Kingdom of Bahrain, and the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan renew their condemnation in the strongest terms of the blatant Iranian attacks, which constitute a flagrant... pic.twitter.com/HIyX9wAl3Z — Saudi Embassy USA (@SaudiEmbassyUSA) March 25, 2026 The statement said Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, and the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan renewed their condemnation of the Iranian attacks, which constitute a flagrant violation of their sovereignty and territorial integrity, of international law, of international humanitarian law, and of the UN Charter, whether carried out directly or through proxies and armed factions supported by Tehran. The statement further emphasized that attacks carried out by armed factions loyal to Iran from Iraqi soil against regional states and their facilities constitute a violation of international laws and conventions, as well as a violation of UN Security Council Resolution 2817, which calls on Iran to immediately and unconditionally halt all attacks or threats against neighboring states.