The Trump administration is set to unveil an agreement with Saudi Arabia that would enable the Gulf nation to establish a civilian nuclear energy programme. According to reports, the announcement was expected on Wednesday, following reporting by CBS News and other media outlets.
Under the proposed arrangement, US companies would operate nuclear power facilities on Saudi soil and potentially help build uranium enrichment capabilities. The deal is structured to last 30 years and carries an estimated value in the tens of billions of dollars, according to The Wall Street Journal. A key provision would allow Saudi Arabia to produce its own enriched uranium fuel domestically at a US-built enrichment facility, rather than depending entirely on imported fuel. However, the US retains the ability to block such enrichment activities for a 10-year period if it determines enrichment should not proceed following a joint study between the two nations.
This agreement differs significantly from a 2009 nuclear accord between the US and the United Arab Emirates, where the UAE agreed not to develop domestic enrichment capabilities and accepted additional restrictions. The new Saudi arrangement’s enrichment component is expected to generate opposition from nuclear non-proliferation advocates, who seek to limit the spread of nuclear weapons globally. Israeli officials and nuclear experts have expressed concerns that the programme could eventually enable Saudi Arabia to develop nuclear weapons, though the kingdom’s leadership has previously stated it harbours no such intentions.
Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman stated in 2018 that while his nation was not pursuing nuclear weapons, it would develop them if Iran acquired nuclear capabilities. The agreement has already received Trump’s approval and must now be reviewed by the US Congress. While some lawmakers from both parties are expected to voice opposition, Republicans control both chambers of Congress. Notably, the nuclear deal does not require Saudi Arabia to normalise diplomatic relations with Israel as a condition, despite longstanding US efforts to facilitate Israeli-Saudi ties.
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