US and Saudi Arabia sign 30-year nuclear deal with uranium enrichment
In brief
- US and Saudi Arabia signed a 30-year nuclear cooperation agreement enabling domestic uranium enrichment.
- The deal lacks gold-standard nonproliferation safeguards included in prior US nuclear agreements with UAE.
- Arms control experts raised alarms over absent nonproliferation protocols and IAEA enhanced oversight.
- A two-year feasibility study could lead to construction of a US-operated uranium enrichment facility in Saudi Arabia.
- The agreement faces congressional review as US counters Russian and Chinese nuclear technology in the region.
The deal's scope and structure
The agreement includes a joint two-year feasibility study that could lead to construction of a US-operated uranium enrichment facility inside Saudi Arabia. This marks a significant shift in US nuclear diplomacy. Previous US nuclear cooperation agreements with other Middle Eastern partners, like the UAE, included commitments to forgo domestic uranium enrichment and plutonium reprocessing entirely.
The Saudi pact does not include that gold standard. It also lacks enhanced protocols from the International Atomic Energy Agency, the global nuclear watchdog.
Nonproliferation concerns
Arms control experts are sounding alarms over the absence of strict nonproliferation safeguards in the deal. The gap is particularly stark given regional tensions and Saudi Arabia's stated nuclear ambitions.
Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman said in a 2018 interview that if Iran acquires a nuclear weapon, the kingdom will pursue one too. That statement underscores the stakes—and the risks—of a deal that grants enrichment rights without ironclad oversight.
Strategic positioning and congressional hurdles
The deal serves to counter Russia and China, which have been aggressively marketing their own nuclear technology to Middle Eastern and African nations. It also aligns with Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030 program, which aims to reduce dependence on oil revenues through energy diversification.
The agreement is set to face a congressional review period under Section 123 of the Atomic Energy Act, which allows lawmakers to scrutinize and potentially block the deal. That process will likely surface the nonproliferation debate in full.
