The Iran Factor: How Tehran Looms Over Trump’s Peace Push

While President Donald Trump’s Mideast trip focuses on Israel and Hamas, the unspoken player looming over every discussion is Iran. The White House believes that countering Iranian influence is the strategic glue that can bind Israel and its Arab neighbors together, and this conviction is the bedrock of its entire regional policy.
The administration’s narrative is that its unwavering support for Israel’s military campaign has successfully weakened key Iranian proxies. By “decimating” Hamas in Gaza and Hezbollah in Lebanon, the US and Israel have demonstrated a shared resolve that resonates with Sunni Arab states like Saudi Arabia, who view Iran as their primary regional rival.
This shared threat, the White House contends, is creating a new political reality. It is lowering the barriers for Arab states to cooperate with Israel on security and intelligence matters and, ultimately, to normalize relations. Trump’s goal is to leverage this anti-Iran sentiment to build a broad, US-led coalition that can ensure regional stability.
The summit in Egypt will be a key forum to advance this agenda. Discussions about Gaza’s future will inevitably touch upon how to prevent Iran from re-establishing its influence in the territory through a rebuilt Hamas. This aligns with the interests of Egypt and the Gulf states, who are wary of Iranian-backed militant groups.
Therefore, Trump’s peace plan is also an Iran containment strategy. By fostering Arab-Israeli ties under the banner of the Abraham Accords, the administration aims to create a strong, unified bloc to push back against Tehran’s ambitions. The road to a wider Mideast peace, in this view, runs directly through a common front against Iran.