Trump formally approves historic 30-year nuclear deal with Saudi Arabia

U.S. officials said Wednesday that President Donald Trump has formally approved a landmark agreement with Saudi Arabia that provides Riyadh with an integrated civilian nuclear program and could open the door to the possibility of enriching uranium inside the kingdom in the future.

Two sources familiar with the matter revealed expectations of an official announcement of the agreement sooner, noting that the nearly 30-year agreement  will involve major U.S. companies in the development and construction of infrastructure for the Saudi nuclear program.

The Trump administration intends to present the official document, known as the "Article 123 Agreement," to Congress in the next few days, signed by U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright and his Saudi counterpart Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman, diplomatic sources said.

The agreement is based on Article 123 of the U.S. Atomic Energy Act of 1954 and obliges the U.S. government and companies to cooperate technically and technologically to build a multibillion-dollar civilian nuclear industry in Riyadh.

Presenting the agreement to Congress reportedly triggers a 90-day legal review period in continuous sessions, after which the agreement will go into effect automatically unless lawmakers pass joint legislation by a two-thirds majority to override the presidential veto.

Enrichment details and security conditions

The U.S. Secretary of Energy explained that the initial agreement includes all the non-proliferation standards contained in the U.S. Atomic Energy Act, which is among the strongest and most stringent at the international level.

Informed sources told the media that the agreement provides a legal path for cooperation in the nuclear fuel cycle and the possibility of establishing a uranium enrichment facility following a joint study, but does not obligate Washington to transfer sensitive enrichment technology immediately.

Technical reports indicated that the agreement does not bind Saudi Arabia to the IAEA Additional Protocol, despite its existing membership in the IAEA, which raised reservations among arms control experts.

International media reported that Washington and Tel Aviv abandoned the condition of normalizing relations with Israel as a precondition for the passage of the nuclear deal, contrary to previous negotiation tracks in the region.

Media sources said that both Trump and the former administration head are seeking to reach a formula for nuclear cooperation with the kingdom that allows the transfer of advanced American technology and meets development needs.

Israeli Reactions and Warnings

Political and partisan circles in Israel have declared their strong rejection of the US move, with the leader of the "State Camp" party, Benny Gantz, considering that the approved nuclear deal poses a direct danger to Israel.

Former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak revealed that reaching this agreement reflects a decline and shake in the level of trust between the Trump administration and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

The statements of the leader of the "Yisrael Beiteinu" party, Avigdor Lieberman, made clear his demand to form a decisive position before the US Congress to prevent the passage of the agreement and stop the Saudi nuclear track by all political means.

Western media reported that lawmakers' fears in Washington are based on the possibility of launching a new round of nuclear rivalry and race in the Middle East, in light of the complex geopolitical conditions in the region.

Press reports said that the joint defense memorandum signed between Riyadh and Islamabad and Pakistan's statements on the availability of defense capabilities have increased the sensitivity of the file to Western and Israeli circles.

Security dimensions and regional backgrounds

The strategic assessments confirmed that the announcement of the deal comes at a very sensitive time, in light of the continuation of regional tensions and heated confrontations over the Iranian nuclear file.

Revisions to official Saudi statements revealed the kingdom's continued commitment to its desire to have a peaceful nuclear program, while reserving the right to enrich to ensure energy security and diversify economic resources.

The sources explained that previous statements by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman stressed that the kingdom does not seek to possess a nuclear bomb, but will move similarly quickly if regional parties develop a nuclear weapon.

The analysis said the partnership with Washington strengthens Riyadh's capabilities in the peaceful uses of energy and opens the door for U.S. companies to lead the region's commercial nuclear sector over the next three decades.

Follow-up sources said the most significant challenge to the agreement was the extent to which the Trump administration could muster the necessary support within Congress to overcome the objections and prevent a resolution that would abort the historic deal.