The administration of U.S. President Donald Trump is engaged in talks with Azerbaijan and exploring outreach to Central Asian nations regarding a potential expansion of the Abraham Accords, five sources familiar with the matter told Reuters.
Originally signed in 2020 and 2021, the Abraham Accords established formal diplomatic ties between Israel and several Muslim-majority states. While Azerbaijan and countries across Central Asia already maintain diplomatic relations with Israel, sources said the inclusion would be largely symbolic—aimed at broadening cooperation in trade, defence and political engagement.
“This is about deepening relations under a formal framework, not starting from scratch,” one of the sources noted.
The discussions with Azerbaijan are described as particularly structured. Trump’s special envoy for peace missions, Steve Witkoff, travelled to Baku in March and met with President Ilham Aliyev, Reuters reported. Later in the spring, Aryeh Lightstone, a senior aide to Witkoff, also visited Baku and held follow-up meetings that included talks on the Abraham Accords.
As part of the engagement, Azerbaijani officials have contacted some Central Asian governments, including Kazakhstan, to assess their interest in joining the initiative. It is unclear which other countries—such as Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Kyrgyzstan or Tajikistan—have been approached.
The U.S. State Department, while declining to name specific countries, said the expansion of the accords is a continuing priority. “We are working to get more countries to join,” a U.S. official told Reuters.
The Azerbaijani government declined to comment. The White House, Israeli foreign ministry and Kazakhstan’s embassy in Washington did not respond to Reuters’ requests for comment.
Sources added that any new agreement would not alter the terms of the original Abraham Accords but would serve as a platform to reinforce U.S. and Israeli engagement in the region through existing diplomatic channels.
Factory output in China grew 5.7% year-on-year in July, down from 6.8% in June and the slowest pace in eight months, according to data from the Nation...
Fires in Spain’s northwestern Zamora province forced residents to prepare for evacuation from their homes on Thursday as the country endured one of ...
Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief: here are the top news stories for the 15th of August, covering the latest developments you need to k...
The weirdest and most ugliest products sold online in China can be seen in a new exhibition in Hangzhou....
Japan has commemorated 80 years since its surrender in World War II with a Tokyo memorial attended by Emperor Naruhito, as Prime Minister Shigeru Ishi...
When U.S. President Donald Trump phoned Norway’s finance minister, Jens Stoltenberg, last month to discuss trade tariffs, he also inquired about the Nobel Peace Prize, Dagens Naeringsliv reported Thursday.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte discussed on Thursday, the Russia-Ukraine war and global issues in a phone call ahead of Friday’s Trump-Putin summit in Alaska.
U.S. President Donald Trump expressed optimism on Thursday that Russian President Vladimir Putin is prepared to make a deal, suggesting that the threat of sanctions helped push Moscow toward seeking direct talks.
The U.S. government on Wednesday signed an executive order to ease federal regulations on commercial rocket launches, potentially benefiting SpaceX and other private space companies.
The world’s biggest dance music festival faces an unexpected setback as a fire destroys its main stage, prompting a last-minute response from organisers determined to keep the party alive in Boom, Belgium.
A powerful eruption at Japan’s Shinmoedake volcano sent an ash plume more than 3,000 metres high on Sunday morning, prompting safety warnings from authorities.
According to the German Research Centre for Geosciences (GFZ), a magnitude 5.7 earthquake struck the Oaxaca region of Mexico on Saturday.
A resumption of Iraq’s Kurdish oil exports is not expected in the near term, sources familiar with the matter said on Friday, despite an announcement by Iraq’s federal government a day earlier stating that shipments would resume immediately.
A magnitude 5.2 earthquake struck 56 kilometres east of Gorgan in northern Iran early Sunday morning, according to preliminary seismic data.
In recent months, the U.S. and Russia have engaged in crucial diplomatic talks, despite rising tensions over Ukraine, nuclear arms, and cybersecurity. What’s behind these meetings, and why do they matter?
Fires in Spain’s northwestern Zamora province forced residents to prepare for evacuation from their homes on Thursday as the country endured one of its most destructive wildfire seasons in 20 years, fuelled by extreme heat and suspected arson.
Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief: here are the top news stories for the 15th of August, covering the latest developments you need to know.
The weirdest and most ugliest products sold online in China can be seen in a new exhibition in Hangzhou.
Japan has commemorated 80 years since its surrender in World War II with a Tokyo memorial attended by Emperor Naruhito, as Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba pledged the nation would never again go to war.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment