President Donald Trump has approved a 30-year nuclear cooperation agreement with Saudi Arabia, according to multiple reports Wednesday. The deal, which may lead to the construction of a U.S.-built uranium enrichment facility in the kingdom, has drawn immediate scrutiny from critics concerned about regional nuclear proliferation during the ongoing war with Iran.
Terms of the 30-Year Nuclear Pact
The agreement, described by WSJ as a landmark deal worth tens of billions of dollars, establishes a framework for American companies to develop Saudi Arabia’s civilian nuclear infrastructure. By securing this role, the administration aims to exclude foreign competitors from the Saudi market while maintaining U.S. influence over the kingdom’s nuclear activities.
A central provision of the accord involves the potential construction of a uranium enrichment facility within Saudi territory. Under the terms, this facility would only be built if a joint U.S.-Saudi study determines that such a step is warranted. Administration officials argue that this oversight mechanism provides a safeguard, allowing the U.S. to monitor the program and prevent it from being redirected toward military applications.
Regional Tensions and Proliferation Risks
The timing of the announcement has intensified debate, as the United States is currently engaged in a war with Iran, a conflict fueled in part by Washington’s desire to prevent Tehran from enriching uranium. Theguardian reports that the agreement is unlikely to include the enhanced International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) monitoring protocols that were part of the 2015 Iran nuclear deal.
Rosemary Kelanic, head of the Middle East program at Defense Priorities, criticized the move as reckless
and contrary to U.S. national interests. 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,
she wrote in a social media post cited by the Guardian. She further questioned the administration’s strategy, asking, Saudi enrichment would put immense pressure on Iran to get the bomb. Is Trump TRYING to provoke Iran into weaponising?
For more on this story, see Trump Approves Saudi Nuclear Deal Allowing Potential Uranium Enrichment.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, speaking from a summit in Manila, declined to confirm specific details of the deal but pushed back against concerns regarding regional stability. Suffice it to say, the US is not going to reach any agreement with any country in the world that leads to the risk of proliferation,
Rubio told reporters.
Congressional Review and Previous Frameworks
The White House is expected to submit the agreement to Congress for review in the coming days. While lawmakers have the authority to block such 123 agreements,
approval is not strictly required for the pact to proceed. Opposition from both parties is anticipated, as some members of Congress have expressed concerns about the lack of rigid safeguards to restrict domestic enrichment.
The current agreement stands in contrast to the 2009 nuclear cooperation deal the U.S. signed with the United Arab Emirates. The UAE’s Barakah plant, which relies on South Korean assistance, does not enrich its own fuel—a model often cited by non-proliferation experts as the “gold standard” for civilian nuclear energy. With the war in Iran continuing to escalate and Houthi rebels threatening to blockade Saudi ports, the introduction of domestic enrichment capabilities in Riyadh adds a new layer of complexity to an already volatile Middle Eastern security landscape.
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