President Trump has reportedly approved a 30-year civilian nuclear agreement with Saudi Arabia that would permit uranium enrichment on Saudi soil without full international safeguards. The deal is expected to be submitted to Congress for review, according to a defense-focused monitoring channel.
President Trump has formally approved the 30-year civilian nuclear agreement with Saudi Arabia, allowing uranium enrichment on Saudi soil, and has submitted the deal to Congress for review, a defense-focused channel reported this morning. The move follows earlier reports that the agreement had been reached and signed, but until now formal presidential approval had not been confirmed.
The Zioneer has been tracking this story since early Wednesday. At 05:16 Jerusalem, the Wall Street Journal reported that Trump had approved a deal with potential for enrichment. At 05:32, US officials said they expect 'black box' safeguards to prevent military diversion. By 05:56, multiple reports — including from The New York Times, Yediot Ahronot, and US administration sources — confirmed a 30-year agreement permitting domestic enrichment, with US companies building infrastructure, and decoupled from Israeli normalization. Further details emerged at 06:38 (US companies to build facility), 07:35 (Israel Hayom confirms enrichment on Saudi soil), and 08:10 (final article confirming the 30-year deal).
The agreement, worth tens of billions, represents a significant shift in US nuclear policy, divorcing civilian nuclear cooperation from the condition of Saudi normalization with Israel, as The Zioneer reported earlier. The Biden administration had pursued that linkage, but it diminished after the October 7 massacre. The deal includes a 'black box' mechanism and a ten-year ban on Saudi enrichment if Washington opposes it after a two-year review, according to US officials.
The terms of the safeguards remain undisclosed, and it is unclear whether the deal will pass Congressional scrutiny. The submission to Congress triggers a review period, and lawmakers have previously expressed concerns about proliferation risks in the Middle East.
4 developments
- DevelopingIsrael Hayom reports new details of Trump-Saudi nuclear deal, confirms uranium enrichment on Saudi soil
- DevelopingDraft US-Saudi agreement may allow Saudi uranium enrichment without full international safeguards
- DevelopingTrump to submit Iran peace and nuclear deal to Congress, vows to destroy enriched uranium
- DevelopingUS expects 'black box' safeguards to prevent Saudi nuclear weapons program, officials say
Source and signal
- Internal intake