Diplomacy & Geopolitics
US-Saudi nuclear deal raises proliferation concerns
A United States deal to equip Saudi Arabia with a civilian nuclear programme has raised questions about nuclear proliferation risks.
The text of the agreement has not been made public. US media has reported that it would allow Washington to export technology without the usual safeguards intended to prevent future military use. US bilateral nuclear cooperation agreements are generally subject to non-proliferation safeguards, sometimes including a requirement that the partner country not enrich uranium domestically. In Saudi Arabia's case, the source says this does not appear to be included.
The deal still has to be approved by Congress. The source also says there has been no word from Saudi Arabia on US President Donald Trump's announcement that he would make the agreement conditional on Riyadh normalising ties with Israel.
Trump said Thursday there would be “no enrichment of material” in Saudi Arabia after the Wall Street Journal reported that a provision could allow US companies to build an enrichment facility there. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has said there are safeguards against proliferation.
Several analysts cited in the report raised concerns. Michael Horowitz wrote on X that if Riyadh had wanted only US support for a civilian programme, it could have done so years ago, and said the aim was to secure US backing for a deal that does not fully rule out a pathway to a weapons programme.
Heloise Fayet, a specialist at the French research centre IFRI, told AFP the agreement was destabilising because it sent a message of an American double standard. The source says that possible double standard is most clearly seen in relation to Iran, which the US and Israel attacked at the end of February, partly citing the aim of preventing Tehran from obtaining nuclear weapons. Iran has long denied seeking a nuclear weapon and has defended its right to enrich uranium for nuclear energy.
David Khalfa, a Middle East specialist at the Paris-based Jean-Jaures Foundation, told AFP that Washington could hardly stress counter-proliferation policy while accepting such a deal with Saudi Arabia. He said Saudi Arabia was not supposed to be an exception, otherwise the security architecture built since 1945 would collapse.
Fayet said the United States appeared to be sacrificing its non-proliferation role for profitability and a good Saudi-American relationship. She also said the move appeared to be a way for Washington to seek forgiveness for the impact of its war with Iran, which has led to reprisals against Gulf states.
Rosemary Kelanic of the Washington-based think tank Defense Priorities wrote on X that potentially giving Saudi Arabia enrichment capabilities would give Riyadh major leverage to seek US security guarantees later by threatening to obtain nuclear weapons.
Other observers cited in the report said US concerns may be outweighed by Washington's effort to counter Chinese influence. Trita Parsi of the Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft wrote on Substack that the credibility of the US security umbrella had weakened since the war against Iran and that Gulf monarchies were diversifying their partnerships. He said Washington had to offer more to try to keep Saudi Arabia from moving further toward China, while receiving less in return.
Update
The text of the US-Saudi civilian nuclear agreement has not been made public.
US media has reported that the deal would allow Washington to export technology without the usual safeguards against future military use.
The deal has not yet been approved by Congress.
The source says there has been no word from Saudi Arabia on Trump's announcement linking the agreement to Saudi normalisation with Israel.
Trump said there would be no enrichment of material in Saudi Arabia after a Wall Street Journal report about a possible enrichment facility provision.
Analysts and specialists raised concerns about proliferation risks, possible double standards, leverage for Saudi Arabia and US efforts to counter Chinese influence.
Source note: AFP news report published on 24 July 2026 at 15:04:52 UTC.
Update
The White House said Trump had previously told Saudi Arabia the deal depended on recognizing Israel.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said Trump had spoken directly with Saudi officials about the issue in multiple past conversations.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Saudi recognition of Israel would be a historic step for Middle East peace.
There was no immediate reaction from Riyadh.
The deal would be submitted to Congress for review.
The Wall Street Journal reported that one possible provision could involve US companies building a uranium enrichment facility in Saudi Arabia, while the US Energy Department did not mention such a provision and Trump said there would be no enrichment.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio said any US civil nuclear agreement would include safeguards against use in a weapons program.
US Energy Secretary Chris Wright said the agreement was in Washington's economic and strategic interest and involved high standards of nuclear safety and nonproliferation.
The report links the deal to wider regional tensions involving Iran and Yemen's Houthi rebels.
Source note: AFP news report published on 23 July 2026 at 21:32:41 UTC.
Update
The White House said Saudi Arabia knew the deal was contingent on recognizing Israel, although the condition was not mentioned when the deal was announced.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said Washington would keep discussing a final deal with Saudi counterparts including recognition of Israel.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Saudi recognition would be a historic leap for peace in the Middle East.
H.A. Hellyer said an attempt to force normalization on Riyadh was unlikely to work well.
The Wall Street Journal reported that one provision could allow US companies to build a uranium enrichment facility in Saudi Arabia, while the US Energy Department did not mention such a provision and did not comment to AFP.
Trump said on Truth Social there would be no enrichment of material.
The deal will be submitted to Congress for review.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said any civil nuclear agreement would include safeguards to prevent conversion into a weapons program.
US Energy Secretary Chris Wright defended the deal as being in Washington's economic and strategic interest and involving high nuclear safety and nonproliferation standards.
Source note: AFP news report published on 23 July 2026 at 16:29:18 UTC.
Update
Trump said the nuclear agreement would be approved only if Saudi Arabia joined the Abraham Accords.
Saudi Arabia says it will not establish ties with Israel unless there is first a pathway to a Palestinian state.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said safeguards against nuclear proliferation would be needed for congressional approval.
The text of the agreement has not been released.
The Wall Street Journal reported that a provision could allow US companies to build a uranium enrichment facility in Saudi Arabia, while Trump said there would be no enrichment.
The US Energy Department did not mention such a provision and did not comment when asked.
Analysts discussed possible implications for Saudi energy plans, US companies, Israel, Iran and regional nuclear cooperation.
Source note: AFP news report published on 23 July 2026 at 14:29:40 UTC.
Uncertainty notes
The text of the agreement has not been made public.
The deal has not yet been approved by Congress.
The source says there has been no word from Saudi Arabia on Trump's statement that he would condition the agreement on normalising ties with Israel.
There are conflicting accounts or emphases about enrichment: US media reported possible weaker safeguards or an enrichment facility provision, while Trump said there would be no enrichment of material in Saudi Arabia and Rubio said safeguards exist.
Source
AFP news report published on .