Trump Ties U.S.-Saudi Nuclear Agreement to Abraham Accords Joining

Terms of the U.S.-Saudi Nuclear Agreement

On Wednesday, July 22, 2026, U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright and Saudi Minister of Energy Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman signed a peaceful nuclear cooperation agreement, often referred to as a 123 agreement, alongside a bilateral safeguards agreement. The framework is expected to remain in force for 30 years and involve U.S. companies in the development of the program. The deal is intended to support Saudi Arabia’s goal of diversifying energy sources away from fossil fuels.

While the administration provided few initial details, the agreement has sparked intense debate regarding uranium enrichment. Several reports suggest the pact could allow the kingdom to enrich uranium domestically. However, in a post on Truth Social, President Trump stated, The Civil Nuclear Deal (There will be no enrichment of material!)… pertains only to non-military use such as the ones that Iran and UAE (and others) already have. Trump emphasized that the U.S. remains opposed to facilities that produce enriched material.

US and Saudi Arabia Sign Nuclear Cooperation Agreement for Civil Energy

The Abraham Accords Condition

The political landscape surrounding the deal shifted significantly on Thursday when President Trump declared that approval of the nuclear pact is totally subject to Saudi Arabia joining the very respected and successful Abraham Accords. The accords, which normalized relations between Israel and several Arab nations including the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, and Morocco, have been a primary focus of U.S. diplomacy in the region since 2020.

Saudi Arabia has long maintained that any formal normalization with Israel is contingent upon a credible roadmap to Palestinian statehood. Michael Ratney, a former U.S. Ambassador to Saudi Arabia, noted that the kingdom’s stance on normalization has not changed despite the new nuclear framework. Riyadh has yet to respond officially to the president’s new condition.

US-Saudi Nuclear Agreement Enables Uranium Enrichment and Reactor Construction

Congressional and Regional Concerns

The agreement must still pass through the U.S. Congress, where it is expected to face scrutiny. Lawmakers have expressed apprehension that the deal could inadvertently trigger a nuclear arms race.

In Israel, the reaction has been mixed. While the government of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu welcomed the condition regarding the Abraham Accords, calling it an historic leap forward for peace in the Middle East, other political figures have been critical. Former Prime Minister Naftali Bennett labeled the deal a serious strategic failure that endangers our security, while former Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman warned that the program could lead to a crazy arms race throughout the entire Middle East.

Uncertainty Over Implementation

The discrepancy between the initial announcement of the deal and the president’s subsequent social media statements has created confusion. Correspondent Mike Hanna noted that the Abraham Accords condition did not appear to be part of the original agreement signed on Wednesday. With the Saudi Embassy in Washington not yet providing comment, the path forward remains opaque.

US and Saudi Arabia Sign Civil Nuclear Cooperation Agreement

These security concerns, combined with the unresolved question of how the nuclear deal will be reconciled with Saudi Arabia’s requirements for Palestinian statehood, ensure that the agreement will remain a focal point of foreign policy debate in both Washington and Riyadh in the coming months.

Sources: Aljazeera.