Trump Approves 30-Year Nuclear Deal Allowing Saudi Arabia to Enrich Uranium

Terms of the 30-Year Nuclear Cooperation Pact

The newly approved bilateral agreement establishes a framework for American firms, such as Westinghouse, to develop civilian nuclear infrastructure within Saudi Arabia. The deal is valued in the tens of billions of dollars and provides for the potential construction of a domestic uranium enrichment facility following a joint feasibility study.

This development marks a significant shift in U.S. policy. Previous administrations, including the Biden administration, had sought to condition access to such sensitive enrichment technology on Saudi Arabia normalizing diplomatic relations with Israel. President Trump’s approval effectively delinks these objectives, prioritizing strategic and commercial alignment over the previous regional normalization requirements.

Congressional Oversight and Monitoring Standards

The agreement now heads to the U.S. Congress for review, where it faces potential opposition from lawmakers concerned about the adequacy of nonproliferation safeguards. A key point of contention is the expected absence of the International Atomic Energy Agency’s (IAEA) additional protocol.

The additional protocol mandates comprehensive, unannounced inspections of all atomic facilities—a standard applied to Iran under the 2015 nuclear deal. Sources indicate that the current U.S.-Saudi agreement likely limits inspections to ensure that material remains restricted to civilian power generation. This has prompted warnings from security analysts who argue that the deal lowers the threshold for oversight in a volatile region.

For more on this story, see Trump Approves Saudi Nuclear Pact Lacking Standard Non-Proliferation Guards.

Regional Security and the Conflict with Iran

The announcement arrives during an ongoing war between the U.S. and Iran, which was initiated in part to prevent Tehran from developing a nuclear weapon. Critics of the deal argue that providing Saudi Arabia with enrichment capabilities at this juncture could backfire by incentivizing regional rivals to accelerate their own programs.

“Giving Saudi Arabia uranium enrichment technology is a terrible idea on many counts. But it’s especially idiotic to do it in the middle of a war over Iran’s nuclear programme.”

Rosemary Kelanic, head of the Middle East programme at Defense Priorities, via The Guardian

Kelanic further suggested that the move might pressure Iran toward weaponization, questioning in a social media post, Is Trump TRYING to provoke Iran into weaponising? Saudi Arabia has previously maintained a posture of strategic ambiguity, stating in the past that if Iran acquired a nuclear bomb, the kingdom would feel compelled to follow suit.

Energy Markets and Regional Precedents

The move toward nuclear baseload power is framed by the Saudi government as a strategy to diversify its energy mix and preserve more oil for international export.

The deal also stands in contrast to the approach taken by the United Arab Emirates. When the UAE signed a “123 agreement” with the U.S. to build the Barakah nuclear power plant, it notably did so without seeking domestic enrichment capabilities—a decision often cited by nonproliferation experts as the gold standard for nations pursuing peaceful atomic energy.

As the administration prepares to submit the pact for legislative review, the focus shifts to the upcoming debate in Congress. Lawmakers must now weigh the potential for a multi-billion-dollar energy partnership against concerns that the deal could trigger a new round of nuclear competition in the Middle East.

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