Key facts
- The IAEA is aware of a US-Saudi plan for nuclear cooperation but has not received a verification request.
- The US and Saudi Arabia signed a nuclear agreement allowing the kingdom to enrich its own uranium.
- The deal's timing is controversial due to the ongoing US war with Iran.
- Experts express concern that the agreement could potentially provide Saudi Arabia with a path to nuclear weapons.
- The agreement has not yet been submitted to Congress for review.
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has stated it is aware of a US-Saudi plan to request verification work related to a nuclear cooperation deal but has not yet received the formal request. The United States and Saudi Arabia signed a nuclear agreement on Wednesday that could permit the kingdom to enrich its own uranium for nuclear reactions. This deal, expected to last 30 years and potentially involve US firms like Westinghouse, has drawn criticism due to its timing amid the ongoing US war with Iran, which is partly aimed at preventing Tehran from developing nuclear weapons.
Experts have raised concerns that the agreement might not include the stringent international safeguards typically required to prevent nuclear weapons development, potentially offering Saudi Arabia a pathway to acquiring them. Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has previously indicated that Saudi Arabia would pursue nuclear weapons if Iran acquired them. The agreement has not yet been submitted to Congress for review, where it could face opposition from lawmakers concerned about monitoring safeguards.
Some commentators view the decision as an indication of US confidence in Saudi Arabia's diversification away from oil, while others, like Rosemary Kelanic of Defense Priorities, have called the move reckless and not in the US national interest, suggesting it could provoke Iran. The deal also risks fueling anger in Iran, where domestic uranium enrichment is sanctioned while its regional rival is permitted to do so.