Could a new US-Saudi nuclear deal reshape the Middle East?
That’s the question as Washington prepares to unveil an agreement that would help Saudi Arabia develop a civilian nuclear programme.
According to US media reports, the deal is expected to be announced on Wednesday and would allow American companies to support Saudi Arabia’s nuclear ambitions.
It could potentially include the construction of a uranium enrichment facility if future studies justify it.
The agreement, expected to last 30 years, will also be submitted to Congress, although lawmakers are unlikely to have the power to block it easily.
Supporters say the pact could generate billions of dollars for the US nuclear industry.
Nuclear Deal Faces Scrutiny
Critics, however, are focused on what it reportedly leaves out.
Sources familiar with the agreement told Reuters it does not include the so-called “Gold Standard,” which bars uranium enrichment.
It also does not include the “Additional Protocol,” which gives the UN nuclear watchdog broader inspection
Those omissions have raised concerns among non-proliferation experts.
The debate is heightened by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s previous warning that if Iran develops a nuclear weapon, Saudi Arabia would “follow suit.”
For now, the agreement is being presented as a civilian energy partnership.
Whether it remains only that may become one of the region’s biggest strategic questions.
