The US State Department sent initial invitations Wednesday for a summit between President Donald Trump and leaders or foreign ministers from Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, and Oman. Scheduled for next Tuesday on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York, the talks center on a "day-after" plan for the war with Iran. The White House declined to comment on the report from Axios, which cited three sources with direct knowledge of the meeting.

Trump and his senior team are developing a postwar strategy that will be completed after the midterm elections. During a Wednesday arrival in North Carolina, Trump told reporters he believes the conflict is nearing its end and claimed Washington heard directly from Tehran that Iran is eager for a deal. One source said the gathering could eventually expand to include other Arab and Muslim leaders beyond the six Gulf Cooperation Council states.