US to Announce Saudi Arabia Nuclear Deal Worth Tens of Billions

The Trump administration is expected to announce a 30-year nuclear cooperation agreement with Saudi Arabia on Wednesday that would allow the Gulf kingdom to develop a civilian nuclear power programme and potentially enrich uranium on its own soil — a deal nuclear experts and Israeli officials warn could bring Saudi Arabia closer to nuclear weapons capability.

What the Deal Includes

Under the agreement, US companies would be allowed to build and operate nuclear power facilities on Saudi soil, giving the kingdom access to civilian nuclear energy infrastructure. Following a joint US-Saudi study, Saudi Arabia may also be permitted to produce enriched uranium domestically at a US-built enrichment facility, rather than depending on imported fuel — a provision that sets this deal apart from the 2009 US nuclear agreement with the United Arab Emirates, under which the UAE does not enrich its own fuel and accepted more stringent restrictions.

The US Saudi Arabia nuclear deal enriched uranium programme is estimated to be worth tens of billions of dollars over its 30-year duration, according to the Wall Street Journal. The corporations involved have not been publicly disclosed. Congress would need to be consulted on the agreement, and some lawmakers on both sides of the aisle are expected to oppose it, though Trump’s Republican Party controls both chambers.

If the US objects to enrichment taking place on Saudi soil following the joint study, Saudi Arabia would not be permitted to enrich uranium independently or through another foreign partner for a period of 10 years, the Journal reported.

Israel and Non-Proliferation Experts Raise Alarms

Nuclear experts and former Israeli officials have voiced concern that the deal could ultimately provide Saudi Arabia with a pathway to develop a nuclear weapon. The nuclear question is particularly sensitive given that preventing Iran from developing nuclear weapons was cited as a central justification for the US and Israeli strikes on Iran in February that launched the current war.

Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman stated in 2018 that his kingdom had no plans to acquire a nuclear weapon — but added that “without a doubt if Iran developed a nuclear bomb, we will follow suit as soon as possible.” Non-proliferation campaigners, whose goal is to prevent the spread of nuclear weapons globally, are also expected to oppose the deal.

No Israel Normalization Requirement

Notably, the deal has not been made contingent on Saudi Arabia normalizing diplomatic relations with Israel, according to the New York Times — a departure from the longstanding aspiration of successive US administrations to link Gulf-US nuclear cooperation to broader Arab-Israeli peace progress. Trump has reportedly not required Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to extend diplomatic recognition to Israel as a condition of the agreement.

The announcement comes as Trump’s administration is simultaneously pursuing talks aimed at ending the Iran war — a conflict in which Iran’s nuclear programme remains a central unresolved issue.