President Donald Trump approves 30-year agreement with Saudi Arabia to develop civilian nuclear power and uranium enrichment capabilities.
The administration announced an agreement with Saudi Arabia that will allow the kingdom to develop its civilian nuclear program, potentially providing it with uranium enrichment capabilities. The deal, expected to last 30 years, will involve U.S. firms developing the program and may lead to the construction of a uranium enrichment facility in Saudi Arabia following a joint study. Secretary of State Marco Rubio defended the move, stating that the agreement will not lead to nuclear proliferation. However, the deal faces scrutiny from non-proliferation experts and lawmakers who worry that enrichment could pave the way for Saudi Arabia to develop nuclear weapons. Unlike the "gold standard" agreement with the United Arab Emirates, this deal does not include the International Atomic Energy Agency’s "additional protocol," meaning it offers less oversight. The agreement comes as the U.S. and Israel continue a war against Iran to limit Tehran's nuclear ambitions. While the deal focuses on commercial power generation, critics note that it provides Saudi Arabia with significant leverage to extract future security guarantees from Washington.