Amid Iran conflict, Saudi Arabia signs 'historic' nuclear deal with Trump admin which reportedly lets Riyadh enrich uranium
In a Nutshell:
- The US and Saudi Arabia signed a peaceful nuclear cooperation agreement for Riyadh’s nuclear energy programme.
- The US said it would oversee Saudi Arabia’s enriched uranium and spent nuclear fuel to prevent weapons use.
- Nuclear nonproliferation groups warned the deal could increase risks of Saudi Arabia pursuing nuclear weapons capability.
- Critics including Israel said giving Riyadh domestic nuclear capabilities could trigger a wider arms race in the Middle East.
Why it Matters
The deal comes as the US remains in conflict with Iran over its nuclear programme, raising the stakes of Saudi Arabia gaining a possible path to uranium enrichment. In 2008, the US required the UAE to abandon enrichment and spent fuel reprocessing as part of its nuclear deal, but critics say Saudi Arabia is being offered a different arrangement. Israel and other critics warn that this could push more Middle Eastern countries to seek similar capabilities and fuel a regional arms race.
What We Think
With tensions between the US and Iran already high, allowing Riyadh a possible path to uranium enrichment raises questions about whether strategic ties are taking priority over tighter nuclear limits. The concern is not only what Saudi Arabia does with the technology, but what message this deal sends to other countries seeking similar capabilities.
