IRIA News

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At a high-stakes Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) summit hosted by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, U.S. President Donald Trump urged Gulf leaders to support renewed diplomacy with Iran, while also meeting Syria’s new President Ahmad al-Sharaa during his Middle East tour.

At the summit in Riyadh on May 14, 2025, President Trump addressed Iran’s destabilizing regional activities, stating bluntly that Tehran “must stop sponsoring terror, halt its bloody proxy wars, and permanently and verifiably cease pursuit of nuclear weapons. They cannot have a nuclear weapon.”

His remarks came amid ongoing U.S.-Iran nuclear negotiations, now in their fourth round, and followed the strategic setbacks suffered by Iran’s proxy groups in the wake of the 2023 Hamas attack on Israel.

Without naming specific concessions, Trump made it clear that continued Iranian support for militant groups like Hezbollah, Hamas, and the Houthis would be a deal-breaker. “I urgently want to make a deal,” Trump told GCC leaders. “But Iran has to play ball.”

Later, aboard Air Force One en route to Qatar, Trump warned Tehran: “So we will either do it friendly or we will do it very unfriendly. And that will not be pleasant.” Still, he expressed hope for a peaceful resolution, saying, “I believe the moment is ripe for a future free from the grip of Hezbollah terrorists.”

A surprise engagement with the Syrian leader

In a dramatic pivot, Trump capped his Saudi visit with a face-to-face meeting with Syria’s new president, Ahmad Al Sharaa, the former jihadist leader known by his alias, Abu Mohammed Al Golani.

Al Sharaa emerged as Syria’s de facto leader following the collapse of the Assad regime in December last year. He met Trump alongside Prince Mohammed and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who joined via video link.

“He’s got a real shot at holding it together,” Trump said after the 33-minute meeting. He described Al Sharaa as a “young, attractive guy” with a “very strong past.” Al Sharaa was once on the top of the U.S. most-wanted lists for his ties to Al Qaida.

This meeting was Trump’s first in-person interaction with Al Sharaa, who is now trying to rejoin the international fold. Trump announced that U.S. sanctions on Syria that were imposed under Assad’s reign would be lifted.

This move has been praised by the Saudi leader, Prince Mohammed, who described it as a chance to “alleviate the suffering of the Syrian people” and begin a “new chapter” for the nation.

Trump in Qatar

After Riyadh, Trump landed in Doha for the second leg of his Middle East tour. As Trump’s Air Force One entered the Qatari airspace, it was escorted by F-15 jets. Trump was greeted by Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, who welcomed the U.S. President with full pageantry, including a lavish camel parade and marble halls he praised as “perfecto.”

The two leaders sat for talks at the Royal Court, where Sheikh Tamim said, “I know that you are a man of peace. I know that you want to bring peace to this region,” referencing Trump’s diplomatic ambitions in Gaza and Syria.

Despite the diplomatic tone, Qatar’s history loomed large. Doha has long faced criticism for alleged pay-for-influence scandals and its dealings with U.S. defense contractors. Trump sidestepped those controversies but did not deny reports that Qatar offered him a customized Boeing 747 8 aircraft as a temporary Air Force One.

U.S. President Donald Trump confirmed that he might accept the aircraft, vowing it would eventually be donated to his presidential library.

Regional implications

Trump’s Mideast tour marks a pivot from isolationism to pragmatic engagement. By addressing Iran’s proxies at the GCC, opening the door to Damascus via al-Sharaa, and embracing a key U.S. partner in Qatar, Trump is signaling a desire to reassert American influence in the region.

With the GCC countries, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE watching closely, Trump made clear that Washington’s path forward hinges on conditional diplomacy and bold, personal engagement. Whether his gambits reshape regional power dynamics remains to be seen.