President Donald Trump has approved a significant agreement with Saudi Arabia that could eventually grant the kingdom the capability to enrich uranium for its civilian nuclear program. This deal, expected to last 30 years, involves U.S. firms in developing the program and follows a joint U.S.-Saudi study to determine the necessity and commercial viability of an enrichment facility. U.S. companies would construct and operate the facility, without transferring sensitive technology directly to Saudi Arabia.
The agreement is reportedly worth tens of billions of dollars, and it aims to support the creation of a civilian nuclear power program in Saudi Arabia. While a U.S.-Saudi team would explore the prospect of uranium enrichment, the deal also prohibits Saudi Arabia from developing its own enrichment technology or acquiring it from other countries for a decade. This arrangement is seen as a way for the U.S. to maintain influence over Saudi Arabia's nuclear ambitions.
However, the deal is expected to encounter scrutiny from Congress. Lawmakers are concerned that allowing Saudi Arabia to enrich its own uranium could escalate nuclear proliferation and competition in the region. Unlike the 2009 U.S. deal with the United Arab Emirates, which included an "Additional Protocol" requiring the UAE not to enrich its own fuel, Saudi Arabia is not mandated to sign a similar standard agreement with the International Atomic Energy Agency, a point of contention for some critics. Despite these concerns, Congress would need a veto-proof majority to block the deal once it is submitted for review.
