US Signs Landmark Nuclear Deal with Saudi Arabia
The United States and Saudi Arabia have signed a historic nuclear cooperation agreement that could allow the kingdom to enrich uranium on its own soil, marking a major shift in US nonproliferation policy and sparking fierce debate amid the ongoing US-Israel military campaign against Iran.
US Energy Secretary Chris Wright and Saudi Energy Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman signed the agreement on July 22, establishing a “peaceful nuclear cooperation agreement” under Section 123 of the Atomic Energy Act, alongside a bilateral safeguards agreement. The US Department of Energy described it as laying the legal foundation for a “decades-long, multi-billion-dollar partnership.”
A Break from the Gold Standard
The deal reportedly departs from the “gold standard” established in the 2009 US-UAE nuclear agreement, which required the UAE to forgo domestic uranium enrichment and reprocessing. According to BBC News, the Saudi agreement may allow enrichment on Saudi soil after a joint US-Saudi study, and it may not include the IAEA Additional Protocol, which provides enhanced international inspection authority.
“Rest assured, these agreements uphold the highest standards of nuclear safety and nonproliferation, while relying on the world’s best nuclear technology and scientists, designed right here in the United States,” Wright said in a statement. “Thanks to President Trump, the American nuclear renaissance is underway.”
The agreement will now be transmitted to Congress for review. Opponents would need a two-thirds majority in both chambers to override a presidential veto — a high bar given that Republicans control both houses.
The Iran War Context
The timing of the deal has drawn sharp criticism. Since February 2026, the US and Israel have been waging a military campaign against Iran, officially justified in part by the need to prevent Tehran from enriching uranium and developing nuclear weapons. Iran had enriched uranium to 60% purity and was bombed in “Operation Midnight Hammer.”
Critics argue that enabling Saudi enrichment while fighting a war to prevent Iranian enrichment represents a stark double standard. As The Guardian reported, Rosemary Kelanic of the Defense Priorities think tank called it “especially idiotic to do it in the middle of a war over Iran’s nuclear programme.”
Senator Edward Markey (D-MA) condemned the administration, saying Trump and Rubio are “allowing Saudi Arabia, a belligerent and authoritarian nation, to develop nuclear weapons technologies while starting a war with Iran under the guise of preventing an Iranian nuclear bomb. Their hypocrisy is matched only by their recklessness.”
Proliferation Concerns
Uranium enrichment technology is inherently dual-use: it can produce fuel for civilian power plants or, at higher enrichment levels, material for nuclear weapons. Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman told CBS News in 2018 that “without a doubt if Iran developed a nuclear bomb, we will follow suit as soon as possible.”
Democratic Representative John Garamendi of California called the deal “a consequential mistake,” warning it takes the world “one step closer to creating a terrifying world of further nuclear proliferation and an arms race in the Middle East.”
Former Israeli Defense Minister Avigdor Liberman echoed those concerns, predicting the deal would lead to a “mad arms race throughout the entire Middle East.” However, Israeli Economy Minister Nir Barkat expressed a more measured view, saying Israel “can manage it” if Saudi Arabia pursues nuclear power for peaceful purposes.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio defended the agreement, telling reporters: “The US is not going to reach any agreement with any country in the world that leads to the risk of proliferation.”
Geopolitical Competition
The deal is also a strategic move to counter Chinese and Russian influence in the region. Both countries have pursued nuclear cooperation agreements in the Middle East — China sought a similar deal with Saudi Arabia, and Russia has built nuclear facilities in Egypt and Turkey. As Al Jazeera reported, the Trump administration framed the agreement as strengthening America’s “competitive edge in civil nuclear technology.”
Westinghouse Electric Company, the US nuclear reactor manufacturer, is expected to be a key partner. CEO Dan Sumner called the deal “a landmark step that strengthens energy security, expands opportunities for US industry and workers, and drives significant long-term economic growth.”
What Comes Next
Saudi Arabia launched its civilian nuclear program in 2018 but has yet to build any reactors. Experts estimate it will take at least a decade for the kingdom to bring a nuclear power plant online. The country originally proposed 16 reactors but has scaled back to plans for two.
The deal also represents a significant shift in US-Saudi relations. Unlike Biden-era negotiations, the Trump administration reportedly did not require Saudi recognition of Israel as a condition for the agreement.
As Congress reviews the deal, the central questions remain: Will the full text of the 123 Agreement be made public? How will Iran respond, given that it now sees a regional rival gaining the enrichment capabilities the US is fighting to deny Tehran? And has the US — by abandoning the gold standard — set a precedent that could reshape nuclear proliferation dynamics across the Middle East for decades to come?