Israel Hayom reports that the Trump administration has approved Saudi Arabia's request to enrich uranium, a move that could reshape the Middle East's nuclear landscape. The report, if confirmed, would mark a significant policy shift allowing a second Gulf state nuclear fuel capabilities.
Israel Hayom reported Sunday that the Trump administration has approved Saudi Arabia's request to enrich uranium on its soil. The report, citing unnamed sources, adds a new layer to a series of reports that have emerged over the past 24 hours, beginning with an unverified open-source claim on Saturday evening, followed by CNN's reports of a preliminary agreement and a final text without the IAEA's Additional Protocol, and later a broader exceptional nuclear deal.
As The Zioneer reported on Saturday evening, 22:02 Jerusalem, the first claim was unconfirmed and not officially acknowledged. By the same hour, CNN reported that the administration had reached a preliminary agreement to allow enrichment, and later that the agreement did not require Riyadh to adopt the toughest IAEA safeguards. The latest report from Israel Hayom, if accurate, would mark the first explicit confirmation of approval from an Israeli news outlet.
These developments come against the backdrop of parallel US nuclear negotiations with Iran. As The Zioneer has reported, the Trump administration recently requested $672 million to remove enriched uranium from Iran and has reportedly accepted Iran's low-level enrichment, drawing Israeli disappointment. The Saudi approval appears to fit a dual-track US strategy: constraining Iran's nuclear program while enabling a Gulf rival.
No official confirmation has been provided by the White House, the State Department, or Saudi authorities. The extent, supervision, and timeline of the reported enrichment program remain unspecified.
7 developments
- DevelopingIsrael concerned Trump may settle for diluted uranium, not removal
- DevelopingAnalyst: Trump's Iran deal allows oil exports without sanctions before full agreement is signed
- ConfirmedSenior US official: Deal expected within days, US to receive all enriched uranium
- StrongUS officials release text of imminent Iran deal — uranium stays in Iran, analysts warn
Source and signal
- Internal intake