US President Donald Trump has approved a nuclear cooperation agreement with Saudi Arabia that could pave the way for the kingdom to enrich uranium for its civilian nuclear energy programme, according to sources familiar with the development.
The agreement, which has yet to be formally announced, is expected to be made public as early as Wednesday. It is also expected to be submitted to the US Congress for review.
Under the proposed 30-year arrangement, American companies would play a role in developing Saudi Arabia’s civilian nuclear programme. The deal could also allow the construction of a uranium enrichment facility in the kingdom following a joint feasibility study between both countries.
However, the proposal is already drawing concern from some lawmakers, who fear that allowing Saudi Arabia to enrich uranium could encourage nuclear proliferation and intensify competition over nuclear technology in the region.
Saudi Arabia is a member of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), the United Nations nuclear watchdog responsible for promoting the peaceful use of nuclear energy while ensuring member states do not secretly pursue nuclear weapons.
According to sources, the agreement is not expected to include the IAEA’s Additional Protocol, which grants inspectors broader access for monitoring and verification.
The development comes as tensions remain high in the Middle East following the ongoing conflict involving the United States, Israel and Iran, with Washington and Tel Aviv insisting their military campaign seeks to prevent Tehran from developing a nuclear weapon. Iran has repeatedly maintained that its uranium enrichment programme is for peaceful purposes.
Neither the White House nor Saudi authorities immediately commented on the reported agreement.
Both the Trump and Biden administrations had previously explored nuclear cooperation with Saudi Arabia as part of broader efforts to strengthen ties with the kingdom.
Non-proliferation experts, however, have cautioned that domestic uranium enrichment could give Riyadh the technical foundation needed to pursue nuclear weapons in the future. Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has previously suggested the kingdom would seek similar capabilities if Iran successfully acquires a nuclear bomb.
US Energy Secretary Chris Wright visited Saudi Arabia last year, ahead of President Trump’s trip to the kingdom, where he held talks on expanding Saudi Arabia’s commercial nuclear energy sector.
The latest development also follows renewed defence cooperation between Saudi Arabia and Pakistan. After Israel launched an attack in Qatar targeting Hamas officials, Pakistan’s defence minister declared that his country’s nuclear programme “will be made available” to Saudi Arabia if necessary, a statement widely interpreted as a warning to Israel.
Experts note that enriching uranium alone does not automatically lead to the production of nuclear weapons, as countries must still master several additional technologies. Nevertheless, enrichment capability is widely regarded as a critical step that could eventually support a weapons programme.
The United Arab Emirates previously entered into a so-called “123 agreement” with the United States to build the Barakah nuclear power plant with South Korean assistance. Unlike Saudi Arabia, the UAE agreed not to pursue domestic uranium enrichment, a model many non-proliferation experts regard as the “gold standard” for civilian nuclear cooperation.
