US Agrees in Principle to Saudi Arabia's Uranium Enrichment in Civil Nuclear Deal

The Trump administration has reached a preliminary agreement with Saudi Arabia allowing the kingdom to enrich uranium on its soil as part of its civilian nuclear program, according to a CNN report. The draft deal, which awaits President Donald Trump's signature, was finalized in October 2025 but has been delayed due to anticipated bipartisan opposition in the US Congress, which must approve the agreement.

The agreement permits Saudi Arabia to enrich uranium and reprocess plutonium without the stringent international oversight typically required to prevent nuclear weapons development. Instead, monitoring would be conducted solely between the US and Saudi Arabia, and the kingdom would not be obligated to adopt the International Atomic Energy Agency's (IAEA) standard safeguards protocol. This has raised concerns in Washington that the deal could bring Saudi Arabia closer to acquiring nuclear weapons capabilities.

The delay in signing the agreement is also linked to regional tensions, particularly the ongoing conflict with Iran. Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has previously warned that if Iran obtains nuclear weapons, Saudi Arabia would pursue the same path. The US administration briefed Congress earlier in 2026 on the proposed framework, which notably diverges from the usual international nuclear nonproliferation norms by allowing Saudi Arabia to handle sensitive nuclear materials independently.

Saudi Arabia has long sought to develop its own civilian nuclear program, and this deal marks a significant shift in US-Saudi nuclear cooperation. However, the lack of comprehensive international safeguards and the potential for uranium enrichment without strict oversight continue to fuel apprehension among US lawmakers and international observers.