A planned nuclear cooperation agreement between the United States and Saudi Arabia advanced through an International Atomic Energy Agency review process, though questions remain about its inspection provisions and Congressional approval. IAEA Director Rafael Grossi announced that Riyadh will not adopt the Additional Protocol, the agency’s most stringent inspection mechanism permitting unannounced inspections at undeclared sites. However, Grossi indicated that Saudi Arabia will grant the agency specialized verification and monitoring authority over enrichment, uranium conversion, and reprocessing activities, which he characterized as functionally comparable to Additional Protocol provisions. The bilateral safeguards agreement still requires approval from the IAEA’s 35-member Board of Governors.
The nuclear framework originated from a bilateral cooperation agreement signed on July 22 by U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright and Saudi Energy Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman, following more than a decade of intermittent negotiations that had previously stalled over enrichment rights. The pact permits American companies to construct reactors in Saudi Arabia and grants Riyadh the capability to pursue domestic uranium enrichment. Under disclosed terms, the two countries have two years to evaluate the commercial viability of enrichment operations. Any subsequent enrichment facility would operate under a “black box” arrangement managed by U.S. companies within Saudi Arabia, preventing technology transfer. This arrangement diverges significantly from the 2009 accord with the United Arab Emirates, in which Abu Dhabi permanently renounced enrichment and reprocessing capabilities.
The administration transmitted the agreement to Congress in late August, initiating a 90-day review period under the Atomic Energy Act. Lawmakers may permit the deal to proceed by taking no action or may pass a joint disapproval resolution, though such action would require surviving a presidential veto. Congressional Democrats and some Republicans have expressed opposition, contending the agreement could trigger broader enrichment expansion throughout the Middle East. The White House has associated the agreement with Saudi Arabia’s potential accession to the Abraham Accords and normalization with Israel, which Saudi officials have indicated requires Palestinian statehood progress.
For Saudi Arabia, the arrangement supports broader economic diversification objectives under Vision 2030, incorporating nuclear power alongside renewable energy sources while reducing reliance on petroleum exports. U.S. firms including Westinghouse are positioned to compete for reactor contracts potentially valued at billions. The negotiations occur within the context of regional security concerns following the previous year’s conflict between Israel and Iran, which has influenced Gulf assessments of nuclear deterrence strategies. Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has publicly stated that Saudi Arabia would pursue nuclear weapons development if Iran developed such capabilities. The deal remains in preliminary stages, with Congressional review extending into the fall and bilateral safeguards text finalization still underway in Vienna.
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