The 30-year agreement is expected to involve US companies in developing Saudi Arabia’s nuclear energy programme. It could also permit the construction of an enrichment facility in the kingdom after a joint US-Saudi study, according to the AP report.
However, the agreement could face opposition when it gets submitted to the US Congress for review.The proposed pact does not contain two safeguards sought by non-proliferation advocates, per Reuters report.
They are:
- Ban on domestic uranium enrichment and reprocessing, often called the “gold standard”.
- The International Atomic Energy Agency’s Additional Protocol, which permits more extensive inspections
Has the US-Saudi nuclear agreement been signed?Not in its final form, based on the AP report.
Trump has approved the agreement, clearing the way to formally submit it to Congress. The US and Saudi Arabia signed an initial declaration on civil nuclear cooperation in November 2025, but the question of whether Riyadh would be allowed to enrich uranium remained unresolved.
The latest decision appears to move the two countries closer to a full “123 agreement”, named after Section 123 of the US Atomic Energy Act. Such an agreement establishes the legal framework under which American nuclear technology, equipment and material can be transferred to another country.
Can Saudi Arabia now build a nuclear bomb?
No, the agreement would not automatically give Saudi Arabia a nuclear weapon.
Uranium enrichment can be used for civilian nuclear reactors when uranium is enriched to relatively low levels. Producing a bomb requires uranium enriched to much higher levels, as well as weapons-design expertise, delivery systems and other technologies.
But the same enrichment infrastructure can potentially be used to produce highly enriched uranium. That is why allowing Saudi Arabia to operate centrifuges without the strongest inspection and non-proliferation safeguards has raised concerns.
Saudi Arabia has uranium deposits and could theoretically use an enrichment facility to produce highly enriched uranium if it chose to divert the programme towards military purposes, Reuters previously reported.
The agreement, therefore, would not hand Riyadh a bomb. It could, however, help the kingdom develop technology and expertise that may shorten the path to one if its political leadership decided to pursue nuclear weapons in the future.
Why are Saudi Arabia’s intentions under scrutiny?
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman said in 2018 that the kingdom would develop a nuclear bomb if Iran did so.
“Saudi Arabia does not want to acquire any nuclear bomb, but without a doubt, if Iran developed a nuclear bomb, we will follow suit as soon as possible,” he said at the time.
That statement has fuelled concerns that a Saudi enrichment programme could eventually become part of a regional nuclear arms race.
The timing is also striking. The expected announcement comes amid the US-Israel war against Iran, launched mainly to eliminate Tehran’s ability to develop a nuclear weapon. Iran maintains that its nuclear programme is peaceful.
What safeguards could be missing?
Saudi Arabia is a member of the IAEA and is subject to the agency’s standard safeguards. However, the agreement is not expected to require Riyadh to adopt the IAEA’s Additional Protocol, one of the people familiar with the decision told AP.
The protocol gives inspectors broader access to nuclear sites, related facilities and information, helping them detect undeclared nuclear activity.
The proposed Saudi arrangement also differs from the US agreement with the United Arab Emirates. Under that deal, the UAE renounced domestic uranium enrichment and spent-fuel reprocessing while developing its Barakah nuclear power plant. Non-proliferation experts frequently describe those commitments as the “gold standard” for civilian nuclear cooperation.
What happens next?
The agreement must be formally announced and sent to Congress, which will have 90 days of continuous session to review it.
First Published: Jul 22, 2026 12:43 PM IS
