President Donald Trump has approved an agreement with Saudi Arabia that may provide the kingdom with uranium enrichment capability for its civilian nuclear program, according to two individuals familiar with the matter.
The sources, who were not authorized to comment publicly on the decision which has yet to be formally announced, indicated the agreement is expected to be made public as early as Wednesday.
The deal is anticipated to span 30 years and is also expected to involve U.S. firms in developing the program. Following a joint U.S.-Saudi study, the arrangement could permit the construction of a uranium enrichment facility within Saudi Arabia.
However, the agreement, which is slated for submission to Congress for review, may encounter opposition from lawmakers concerned that assisting Saudi Arabia in achieving its long-standing goal of enriching its own uranium could trigger further nuclear proliferation and competition.
Saudi Arabia is a member state of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), an agency based in Vienna that promotes peaceful nuclear activities while also inspecting nations to prevent clandestine atomic weapons programs.
One of the individuals noted that the agreement is not expected to incorporate the IAEA’s Additional Protocol, which would allow for increased monitoring, inspections, and verification.
This anticipated announcement occurs amid the U.S. and Israel's war against Iran, partly aimed at eliminating Tehran's capacity to develop a nuclear weapon. Iran maintains that its nuclear enrichment program is peaceful.
The White House and Saudi officials in Riyadh did not immediately respond to requests for comment regarding the decision, which was initially reported by The Wall Street Journal.
Both Trump and former President Joe Biden attempted to secure a nuclear deal with the kingdom to share American technology.
Nonproliferation experts caution that any spinning centrifuges within Saudi Arabia could potentially open the door to a weapons program for the kingdom—a path its assertive de facto leader, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, has suggested he might pursue if Tehran acquires an atomic bomb.
Energy Secretary Chris Wright visited Saudi Arabia last year shortly before Trump's visit and discussed expanding the kingdom’s commercial nuclear power industry with his Saudi counterpart. The U.S. Department of Energy did not immediately respond to requests for comment late Tuesday.
Previously, Saudi Arabia and nuclear-armed Pakistan signed a mutual defense pact after Israel conducted an attack on Qatar targeting Hamas officials. Pakistan's defense minister subsequently stated that his nation’s nuclear program "will be made available" to Saudi Arabia if necessary, which was viewed as a warning directed at Israel, long considered the Middle East’s sole nuclear-armed state.
Enrichment does not automatically lead to a nuclear weapon; a nation must also master other steps, such as using synchronized high explosives. Nevertheless, it opens the possibility of weaponization, fueling Western concerns over Iran's program.
The United Arab Emirates, a neighbor of Saudi Arabia, signed what is termed a "123 agreement" with the U.S. to construct its Barakah nuclear power plant with assistance from South Korea. The UAE achieved this without seeking enrichment, an action nonproliferation experts cite as the "gold standard" for nations pursuing atomic power.
Price reported from Manila, Philippines, and Gambrell from Dubai, United Arab Emirates. AP writers Will Weissert and Matthew Daly contributed from Washington.