US administration sources confirmed the 30-year civilian nuclear agreement with Saudi Arabia, according to reports. The deal permits Saudi Arabia to enrich uranium on its own soil, with US companies building the infrastructure. The sources said American involvement will prevent the kingdom from diverting enrichment to military purposes.
US administration sources confirmed Wednesday morning that President Donald Trump has finalized a 30-year civilian nuclear agreement with Saudi Arabia, permitting uranium enrichment on Saudi soil with US companies building the infrastructure. The sources said American involvement will prevent the kingdom from diverting enrichment to military purposes. This marks the first official attribution from US officials, following a series of earlier reports.
At 05:15 Jerusalem, The Zioneer reported on initial reports from Channel 12 about a 30-year deal worth tens of billions. At 05:16, the Wall Street Journal reported that Trump had approved the deal. At 05:32, The Zioneer reported on 'black box' safeguards intended to prevent a Saudi weapons program. At 05:56, The Zioneer noted that the deal was separated from the requirement for Saudi normalization with Israel. At 06:38, details emerged that US companies would build the facility and that signing was expected the next day. At 07:14, The Zioneer reported that the agreement had been reached. The current confirmation from US administration sources aligns with those earlier reports and provides official attribution.
As The Zioneer reported earlier, the deal represents a strategic shift: the Trump administration separated the nuclear agreement from the requirement for Saudi normalization with Israel, a condition the Biden administration had pursued. The US aims to counter Chinese influence in the region. The agreement, valued at tens of billions of dollars, grants Riyadh a civilian nuclear program with a 30-year term and uranium enrichment on Saudi soil under US oversight.
Specific details remain open: the exact mechanism of the 'black box' safeguards, the timeline for signing and implementation, and the extent of international oversight beyond US involvement. The deal's impact on regional proliferation dynamics also remains to be seen.
7 developments
- StrongTrump approves Saudi nuclear deal allowing uranium enrichment, sends to Congress
- DevelopingDraft US-Saudi agreement may allow Saudi uranium enrichment without full international safeguards
- DevelopingAnalyst: Trump-Saudi nuclear deal, if confirmed, is a 'severe blow' to Israel without full normalization
- StrongTrump reportedly approves low-level uranium enrichment in Iran, drawing Israeli disappointment
Source and signal
- Internal intake