Trump Approves US-Saudi Nuclear Deal Allowing Uranium Enrichment

Washington DC. US President Donald Trump has approved a deal with Saudi Arabia to develop a nuclear energy program for civilian purposes.

 Under the agreement, Saudi Arabia may gain the ability to enrich uranium on its own soil in the future, according to two informed sources, as reported by the AP news agency. These sources, who do not have the authority to speak publicly, expect the formal announcement of the agreement as early as Wednesday.

The proposed agreement is said to be for 30 years. Under this, American companies will cooperate in developing Saudi Arabia's civilian nuclear energy program. It is also expected that the agreement will include a provision for the construction of a uranium enrichment facility in Saudi Arabia after a joint US-Saudi study. However, it is anticipated that this agreement may face opposition in the US Congress as it will be presented for review and approval.

US lawmakers and nuclear non-proliferation experts have warned that allowing Saudi Arabia to enrich uranium could escalate a nuclear arms race. Uranium enrichment itself is not the construction of a nuclear weapon. However, it can lay the groundwork for future weapons development, which is why Western countries have long been cautious about it.

No Additional IAEA Oversight

Saudi Arabia is a member state of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). The IAEA monitors whether member states' nuclear programs are being used solely for peaceful purposes. However, according to sources, the proposed agreement is unlikely to include the IAEA's 'Additional Protocol'. This provides for further inspection, monitoring, and verification. It is said that the lack of this protocol could lead to criticism as the scope of inspection would be limited.

This potential agreement is being made public amidst the ongoing military operations by the US and Israel against Iran. The US and Israel claim to be attacking to stop Iran's nuclear weapons development capability, while Iran maintains that its nuclear program is solely for peaceful purposes.

The effort to cooperate with Saudi Arabia in the civilian nuclear energy sector was not only by the Trump administration but also by former President Joe Biden's administration. Both administrations have advanced discussions on providing US technology to Saudi Arabia. Last year, US Energy Secretary Chris Wright visited Saudi Arabia. He discussed the expansion of the country's civilian nuclear energy industry with his Saudi counterpart.