Iraq and Jordan Join Trump-GCC Talks as High-Stakes US-Arab Diplomacy Escalates in New York

US President Donald Trump’s upcoming meeting with Gulf officials in New York will expand to include Iraq and Jordan, highlighting a period of intensifying US-Arab diplomacy. Taking place during the UN General Assembly’s high-level week, the discussions are set to address critical regional challenges, with a primary focus on Iran, its regional proxies, and the ongoing conflict with the US. Alongside Gulf representatives, Egypt is also anticipated to join the high-level engagements.

Ahead of the official UNGA debate opening on Tuesday with an address by Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, Sunday's agenda was packed with preparatory meetings, panel discussions, and interviews. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio attended a reception hosted for State Department staff and international media, including The National, while holding several strategic meetings to advance diplomatic efforts.

Dr Anwar Gargash, diplomatic adviser to President Sheikh Mohamed, participated in a panel discussion centered on Iran and regional security—topics expected to dominate President Trump’s talks with Arab leaders. US Ambassador to the UN Mike Waltz also joined the panel. Dr Gargash advocated for a “new mindset” regarding relations with Iran, emphasizing that future regional discussions should involve direct dialogue between Tehran and Arab states, alongside US-Iran talks.

“The Iranians see themselves as a regional hegemon. They would rather discuss the strategic issues more with the United States,” Dr Gargash stated. “We need a new mindset.” He added that discussions concerning regional stability and development should take place at both Iranian-American and Iranian-Arab levels.

Furthermore, Dr Gargash noted that the UAE and other nations must prepare to deal with an “unstable” Iran for the foreseeable future. Meanwhile, Mr Waltz highlighted a shift in Iranian strategy, noting that Tehran has increasingly armed the Houthis in addition to supplying Hezbollah with advanced weaponry.

“What we are seeing is a proliferation of very sophisticated weapons from the Iranian regime,” Mr Waltz said, pointing to attacks from Hezbollah and the deployment of advanced drones and cruise missiles by the Houthis. Describing the situation as part of a 47-year conflict, Mr Waltz emphasized that the Houthis will be a central topic in the upcoming US-Arab meetings following their escalated attacks in Yemen, Saudi Arabia, and the strategic Bab Al Mandeb strait.

Sources in Tehran, Aden, and Cairo told The National that Iran assisted the rebels in planning and executing the campaign to leverage the Yemen conflict against the US. Meanwhile, in Iraq, the September 30 withdrawal of the US-led international coalition against ISIS marks a major milestone, while government efforts to disarm Iran-backed militias remain a pressing concern.

Arab diplomatic engagement this week has reached its highest level in years, featuring a rigorous schedule of meetings and side events. Notably, a single Arab delegation has scheduled over 200 meetings across just a few days.