WORLD 🔗 Part of: Tremors from the Middle East (65) · 23 Jul 2026 · 03:27 GMT ·1 min read

US-Saudi Arabia Nuclear Cooperation Agreement: Strategic Shift and Proliferation Concerns

The US and Saudi Arabia signed a 30-year civilian nuclear cooperation agreement.

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CNBC International

The US and Saudi Arabia signed a 30-year civilian nuclear cooperation agreement. US Energy Secretary Chris Wright and Saudi Energy Minister Prince Salman finalized the deal. This permits Saudi to build reactors using US technology, enrich uranium, and reprocess waste. The pact includes a bilateral safeguards agreement but lacks stringent "gold standard" rules, which would allow the IAEA to conduct short-notice inspections. It takes effect unless Congress blocks it within 90 legislative days. Saudi Arabia previously indicated it would seek partnerships with China or Russia if the US declined.

Context

The United States and Saudi Arabia have pursued nuclear cooperation for years. This 30-year agreement marks a departure from the 2009 model used with the United Arab Emirates, which prohibited uranium enrichment and waste reprocessing.

Supportive perspectives

The agreement positions US firms to participate in building Saudi Arabia's nuclear reactors, giving American companies a role in Riyadh's program.
This Agreement permits Saudi Arabia to build reactors, enrich uranium, and reprocess nuclear waste capabilities the UAE explicitly waived when it signed a comparable US deal in 2009.
This deal secures long-term American visibility and oversight inside the kingdom’s energy program and reinforces the core U.S.-Saudi defense and diplomatic partnership in the Middle East

Critical perspectives

Kelsey Davenport of the Arms Control Association warned that the agreement could facilitate nuclear proliferation in the Middle East and urged Congress to reject or modify the terms.
Former Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett characterized the deal as a severe strategic failure that threatens Israel's security.
The pact is currently undergoing a mandatory 90-day congressional review period. It has sparked sharp debate among lawmakers. Critics warn it could trigger a wider Middle Eastern arms race
The agreement omits an Additional Protocol or stringent "gold standard" restrictions against fuel enrichment, meaning the International Atomic Energy Agency cannot conduct the intrusive, short-notice inspections that the IAEA uses to conduct more intrusive inspections at short notice.