President Donald Trump has approved a landmark agreement with Saudi Arabia that could allow the kingdom to enrich uranium for its civilian nuclear program. This deal, known as a "123 agreement," is a significant development given that previous administrations, including Biden's, had made such a nuclear arrangement contingent on Saudi Arabia normalizing ties with Israel. That condition has reportedly been dropped, especially after the October 7, 2023, Hamas attacks, which made normalization politically challenging for Saudi Arabia.
Energy Secretary Chris Wright and Saudi Minister of Energy Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman signed the peaceful nuclear cooperation agreement, along with a bilateral safeguards agreement. These agreements are expected to create a several-decades-long, multi-billion-dollar partnership, fostering economic and strategic objectives while upholding nuclear safety and nonproliferation standards. The deal is projected to last 30 years and will involve U.S. companies providing technology and expertise, potentially leading to the construction of a uranium enrichment facility in Saudi Arabia after a joint U.S.-Saudi feasibility study.
The agreement is expected to face scrutiny in Congress, where lawmakers might raise concerns about nuclear proliferation risks if Saudi Arabia gains uranium enrichment capabilities. A key point of contention is that the deal might not include the International Atomic Energy Agency's (IAEA) Additional Protocol, which would allow for more extensive monitoring, inspections, and verification. While the Biden administration had pursued a broader normalization pact between Saudi Arabia and Israel as a prerequisite, the Trump administration picked up nuclear discussions last year without that direct link, allowing Saudi Arabia to secure the nuclear deal without formalizing ties with Israel, at least for now.
