The Trump administration has reached a nuclear cooperation agreement with Saudi Arabia aimed at developing the kingdom’s civilian nuclear energy program, even as the United States intensifies efforts to counter Iran’s nuclear ambitions. The deal, announced in late July, would grant U.S. companies significant access to commercial nuclear projects in Saudi Arabia, potentially including the construction of uranium enrichment facilities.
While the agreement is intended to foster civilian nuclear energy cooperation and extend for 30 years, it has not yet been approved by Congress. Lawmakers have 90 days to review the pact, and although opposition exists, a presidential veto could secure its enactment, given the Republican-controlled legislature.
The specifics of the arrangement remain largely undisclosed, but the U.S. Department of Energy indicated that American firms would provide technical expertise and may help Saudi Arabia develop the capacity to enrich uranium domestically. This development would reduce Riyadh’s reliance on imported nuclear fuel and could open the door for future enrichment activities.
Critics caution that the agreement represents a significant departure from longstanding U.S. nonproliferation policy. Enriched uranium, while used for powering nuclear reactors, can also be refined for weapons production, raising concerns about regional security and proliferation risks. Thomas Countryman, a former assistant secretary of state for international security and nonproliferation, described the pact as reversing decades of U.S. leadership in global nonproliferation efforts. Similarly, Laura Kennedy, a former ambassador to the International Atomic Energy Agency, warned it sets a dangerous precedent in the Middle East, potentially encouraging a nuclear arms race.
The agreement comes amid ongoing U.S. and Israeli efforts to curtail Iran’s nuclear program. Saudi Arabia and Iran, long-standing rivals competing for regional influence, have supported opposing sides in conflicts such as those in Yemen and Syria, and exchanged missile and drone attacks in recent months. Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has repeatedly stated that Riyadh has no intention of pursuing nuclear weapons but has also indicated that if Iran develops a bomb, Saudi Arabia would seek to follow suit.
Experts such as Steven Simon of the Quincy Institute in Washington, DC, have noted that the deal could place Saudi Arabia on a pathway to acquiring nuclear weapons capability, should it choose to do so, potentially justifying Iran’s own nuclear ambitions in the eyes of Tehran’s strategists.
Adding complexity to the agreement is President Donald Trump’s statement that U.S.-Saudi nuclear cooperation is contingent upon Saudi Arabia normalizing relations with Israel under the Abraham Accords framework. To date, Saudi Arabia has declined to join the Accords, citing conditions related to Palestinian statehood and opposition shaped by recent Israeli-Palestinian tensions.
As the pact moves forward, its implications for Middle East geopolitics and nuclear nonproliferation remain closely watched by policymakers and experts worldwide.