The 30-year agreement meets US nonproliferation standards, officials say, but has drawn concern from Israeli officials and US lawmakers who fear enrichment capabilities could eventually be used for military purposes. The deal will now be reviewed by Congress.
President Donald Trump's administration has formally signed a civilian nuclear cooperation agreement with Saudi Arabia, the first such pact between the US and the kingdom. The 30-year agreement permits uranium enrichment on Saudi soil, with US officials stating it meets nonproliferation standards. The text will be submitted to Congress for review.
The Zioneer has extensively covered the development of this agreement, reporting on earlier drafts and the 'black box' safeguards mechanism proposed by the US. Israeli officials have repeatedly warned that Saudi enrichment capacity, even under US oversight, poses a 'bright red line' security risk and could trigger a regional nuclear arms race.
Congressional review and the reaction from Israeli defense and political circles, as well as regional states, remain to be seen. The deal's implementation could also affect the trajectory of Israel-Saudi normalization talks.
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