US-brokered normalisation agreements signed in September 2020 establishing diplomatic relations between Israel and several Arab states, beginning with the UAE and Bahrain.Source: entity

Which countries signed the Abraham Accords?

Israel, the UAE, Bahrain, Sudan, and Morocco. The UAE and Bahrain signed first in September 2020.Source: entity

How has Iran responded to the Abraham Accords?

Iran condemned the Accords and, during the 2026 conflict, struck Bahrain and UAE infrastructure, framing signatory states as legitimate military targets.Source: entity

Background

The Abraham Accords were brokered by the Trump administration in September 2020, establishing diplomatic and commercial relations between Israel and the UAE, Bahrain, Sudan, and Morocco. Since February 2026, the Accords have operated as a fault line rather than a foundation: Iran has pursued a deliberate strategy of punishing signatory states militarily. Bahrain absorbed direct strikes on the Israeli embassy compound and civilian infrastructure including the Crowne Plaza hotel, while the UAE intercepted sustained barrages and logged 7 killed and 142 injured before the 16 June ceasefire. The UAE subsequently closed its embassy in Tehran and dismantled IRGC-linked financial networks on its soil.

The Accords deliberately bypassed Palestinian statehood, offering Arab governments economic benefits and access to advanced US military technology in exchange for recognition. Iran condemned the agreements as a betrayal of the Palestinian cause and a US-Israeli encirclement project. The Palestinian Authority rejected them on the same grounds. No signatory has publicly repudiated the Accords despite sustained military pressure. Saudi Arabia, which did not sign, remains the largest outstanding normalisation prize in the region; its position has grown more ambiguous as the conflict has developed.

The Accords' most consequential June 2026 development is Jared Kushner's return as a deal-broker: on 30 June, Kushner and Steve Witkoff convened indirect talks in Doha with Qatari and Pakistani intermediaries, seeking to formalise the 29 June verbal stand-down into a durable framework. Kushner, the architect of the 2020 normalisation deals, is now pursuing a parallel track: a war-termination agreement that would, if successful, require the same Gulf signatories to navigate their Accords commitments to Israel alongside any post-conflict Iranian regional posture. The Lebanon Ceasefire clause in the draft MOU, which Netanyahu objected to directly, illustrates how the Accords now interact with the wider settlement architecture.

More questions

Are the Abraham Accords still in effect?

Formally yes, though sustained Iranian strikes on Bahrain and UAE have placed them under severe political and military stress in 2026.Source: entity

What did the Abraham Accords mean for Palestine?

The Palestinian Authority rejected them as a betrayal, arguing that Arab states normalised with Israel without securing any concessions on Palestinian statehood.Source: entity

What are the Abraham Accords and which countries signed them?

The Abraham Accords are US-brokered normalisation agreements signed in September 2020 establishing diplomatic and commercial relations between Israel and the UAE, Bahrain, Sudan, and Morocco.Source: Background

Why is Iran attacking Abraham Accords signatories?

Iran condemned the Accords as a betrayal of the Palestinian cause and a US-Israeli encirclement project. It has since targeted signatory states — particularly Bahrain and the UAE — to impose a security cost on normalisation.Source: Background

Has Saudi Arabia signed the Abraham Accords?

No. Saudi Arabia did not sign the 2020 Accords and remains the largest outstanding normalisation target in the region. Its position has grown more ambiguous as the 2026 Iran conflict has developed.Source: Background

What happened to the UAE after it signed the Abraham Accords?

The UAE was subjected to sustained Iranian missile and drone attacks from February 2026, recording 7 killed and 142 injured. It subsequently closed its embassy in Tehran and dismantled IRGC-linked financial networks on its soil.Source: Background

What role does Jared Kushner play in the 2026 Iran-US talks?

Kushner, the architect of the 2020 Abraham Accords, joined Steve Witkoff for indirect talks in Doha on 30 June 2026, meeting with Qatari and Pakistani intermediaries. There was no direct US-Iran meeting and no new instrument was signed, but the talks represented an effort to formalise the verbal stand-down into a durable framework.Source: Lowdown

Source Material

Abraham Accords Abraham Accords Declaration The Abraham Accords: Full Text and Joint Statements