Skip next section Trump calls on Iran to stop backing proxy groups as part of nuclear deal
05/14/2025May 14, 2025
Trump calls on Iran to stop backing proxy groups as part of nuclear deal
US President told Gulf leaders on Wednesday that Tehran must stop supporting proxy groups in the Middle East as part of a .
Although he said he urgently wants “to make a deal” with , the country first had to “stop sponsoring terror, halt its bloody proxy wars and permanently and verifiably cease pursuit of nuclear weapons.”
He also called on other nations to join the US “in fully and totally enforcing the sanctions that I just placed on Iran” while no deal is in place.
Trump made his remarks at a Riyadh meeting of leaders from the Gulf Cooperation Council hosted by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
Washington and Tehran have since early last month, with Trump warning, however, that time for a deal is running out.
Iran supports a number of proxy groups, including in , in and the in .
In Iran, Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi called Trump’s remarks “deceitful” but gave no direct response to the call to cease support of proxy groups.
https://p.dw.com/p/4uMdJ
Skip next section Trump meets with new Syrian leader
05/14/2025May 14, 2025
Trump meets with new Syrian leader
US President Donald Trump has met with Syria’s interim president, Ahmad al-Sharaa, in Riyadh, saying that the encounter was urged by Saudi Crown Prince Mohanmmed bin Salman and Turkish President .
The meeting, which came a day after Trump announced he was lifting US sanctions on , is the first such a one in 25 years and represents a major turn of events for the Middle Eastern country after years of international exclusion and internal repression while under the rule of former dictator .
According to the White House, Trump asked the Syrian leader to normalize ties with Israel by joining the so-called Abraham Accords signed by some Gulf Arab states and to deport Palestinian militants. He also reportedly requested that the new Syrian authorities take control of camps holding captured fighters, which are currently run by Kurdish guerrillas opposed by Ankara.
Al-Sharaa became Syria’s interim leader after leading rebels in a December uprising that toppled autocrat Assad’s government.
He was once imprisoned for years in Iraq for his role in the insurgency following the 2003 US-led invasion of that country, having joined the ranks of al-Qaida rebels under his nom de guerre, Abu Mohammed al-Golani.
The lifting of the sanctions on Syria was opposed by Israeli Prime Minister , according to Israeli officials speaking to The Associated Press.
Israel fears that Syria under its and leader with an Islamist past could pose a threat on its northern border.
For his part, Trump has said that lifting the sanctions would “give them [Syrians] a chance at greatness.”
https://p.dw.com/p/4uMGG
Skip next section Welcome to our coverage05/14/2025May 14, 2025
Welcome to our coverage
US President kicked off a four-day Middle East tour on Tuesday with a first stop in the Saudi capital, Riyadh.
There, he signed an agreement with Saudi Arabia’s de facto ruler, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, securing billions in investment.
In a major turnaround of US policy, he also announced that imposed on over its repression of civilians during the country’s civil war from 2011 onward under the rule of former dictator .
On Wednesday, he then met with Syria’s interim leader, former insurgent Ahmad al-Sharaa, who was once imprisoned by US forces in Iraq.
DW brings you running coverage of Trump’s tour, which is also to take him to and the but not , raising fears there of .
https://p.dw.com/p/4uLzr
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