The US Department of Energy announced that the United States and Saudi Arabia have signed a historic civilian nuclear cooperation agreement, including a bilateral safeguards pact. The multibillion-dollar partnership lays the legal foundation for decades of cooperation and will be submitted to Congress for review, according to the department.
The US Department of Energy officially confirmed early Thursday morning, July 23, the signing of a historic civilian nuclear cooperation agreement with Saudi Arabia. The confirmation follows the deal's signing Wednesday evening at 20:30 Jerusalem time, as CBS reported, and the department's initial announcement later that night. The agreement, which includes a bilateral safeguards pact, will now be submitted to the US Congress for a 90-day review period.
The Zioneer tracked this story throughout Wednesday, July 22. Initial reports from Channel 14 cited unnamed sources indicating President Trump had approved the plan. By mid-morning, the Wall Street Journal and Associated Press confirmed the approval, including a uranium enrichment facility on Saudi soil. CNN later cited a US official confirming Trump's approval. The Department of Energy's formal announcement came Wednesday night, and by 23:58 Jerusalem, The Zioneer reported that the US had officially confirmed the pact. The agreement, valued at billions of dollars, permits uranium enrichment on Saudi soil but does not include the International Atomic Energy Agency's 'Additional Protocol' for expanded oversight, as Reuters reported.
The deal does not include normalization with Israel, as The Zioneer reported citing Reuters. The Zioneer had previously reported on the draft agreement on July 19, noting that it could allow Saudi uranium enrichment without full international safeguards. A commentary published at 00:20 Thursday described the agreement as a 'gift' that risks 'oil economy confrontation'.
What remains unclear is the exact nature of the bilateral safeguards pact and whether the US Congress will approve the deal. The congressional review period of 90 days will determine the outcome, and regional implications, including Israeli concerns, remain under assessment.
13 developments
- DevelopingCommentary: US-Saudi nuclear deal a 'gift' that risks 'oil economy confrontation'
- DevelopingZioneer analysis: US-Saudi nuclear deal enables uranium enrichment, risks regional arms race
- DevelopingIsrael Hayom reports new details of Trump-Saudi nuclear deal, confirms uranium enrichment on Saudi soil
- DevelopingUS expects 'black box' safeguards to prevent Saudi nuclear weapons program, officials say
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