WANA (May 17) – The issue of Iran has become a fixed part of Trump’s speeches during his trip to the region; but expressed in different forms and almost with two distinct tones.

 

In Saudi Arabia, Trump’s tone was a mix of sarcasm, reproach, and humiliation. He referred in detail to internal crises and problems for Iranians, such as electricity, water, and so on, comparing the situation to that of Saudi Arabia.

 

Of course, alongside these issues, he also touched on his desire for a deal with Iran, but sarcasm and mockery were the main substance of his words.

 

However, during his visit to Qatar, on the one hand, he focused on the Iran issue considerably more than in Riyadh, and on the other hand, despite some implicit threats, his tone was different—much softer and clearly dominated by dialogue and agreement.

 

Trump’s approach toward Iran is currently focused on negotiations for an agreement, but where this process will ultimately lead, even Trump himself may not have a precise and clear answer. However, as the author has previously stated, the likelihood is that after many ups and downs, this process will more likely result in an agreement rather than a failure to reach one.

 

But what is the reason behind Trump’s two somewhat different tones in Riyadh and Doha? It seems to be related to the nature and style of the conversations he had with the two hosts.

 

The fact that, for the first time in Riyadh, he addressed minor yet important issues concerning Iran with a tone of sarcasm and humiliation is probably a consequence of the matters raised during his meeting with bin Salman and the comparisons made there.

 

As a friend once said, Trump’s contradictory remarks about a single issue mostly depend on whom he met or talked to before making those statements—in other words, who “brainwashed him.”

 

Now, even if Trump’s remarks in Riyadh were not influenced by the issues raised during the meetings in Saudi Arabia, his statements in Doha were most likely the outcome of his conversation with Sheikh Tamim; Trump himself confirms this matter and refers to his efforts to reach an agreement between Iran and the United States and to prevent the outbreak of military conflict in the region.

 

It is clear that the issues of Gaza and Iran were two important agenda items for the Qataris in their meeting with Trump. Regarding Gaza, whose direct counterpart is Netanyahu, “so far” no progress has been made due to Netanyahu’s stubbornness and obstinacy, and Trump, for reasons including advancing his policies on other regional matters, is not inclined to exert serious pressure on Netanyahu and Israel. Let’s see where the current Doha talks on this issue will lead.

 

But concerning Iran, it is evident from Trump’s statements yesterday and today that the Emir of Qatar raised this issue with him in a special and serious manner and discussed it; to the extent that the U.S. President asked Tehran to appreciate the Emir of Qatar, who, according to him, unlike others, opposes a military attack on Iran.

 

At the same time, Trump stated that he wants the negotiations with Iran to be successful and spoke of an agreement being close. However, one cannot rely much on these statements. About a month ago, when the negotiations had just started, he spoke in almost the same vein about nearing an agreement, but nothing significant has happened so far, and the U.S. positions have recently become tougher.

 

Meanwhile, the close relationship between Sheikh Tamim and Trump and Doha’s policy toward Tehran may well place Qatar in a better position as a mediator between Iran and the U.S. in the negotiations. Of the two factors mentioned above, Oman is more notable for the second—that is, good relations and a positive policy toward Tehran.

 

However, regarding its relationship with the U.S., it can be said that Oman is more connected to the traditional and well-established U.S. system rather than Trump and his administration, which is almost an entirely separate entity. Unlike the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia and the Emir of Qatar, Sultan Haitham does not have close ties with Trump and his close team.

 

This issue can be seen in Sultan Haitham’s absence from the Persian Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) leaders’ meeting with the U.S. President on Wednesday. It should also be noted that the Sultan of Oman rarely participates in such meetings, but if he had close relations with Trump, Muscat would likely have been a stop on his regional tour, or Haitham bin Tariq himself would have attended the Riyadh summit.

 

However, it seems that Iran trusts Oman more than other Arab players in the Persian Gulf, and now that it has chosen Muscat as a mediator, a change in this stance is very unlikely; but in the future, Doha will probably also play a significant facilitating role alongside Muscat in the negotiations.