US Submits Civil Nuclear Deal With Saudi Arabia to Congress, Tied to Israel Normalization

US President Donald Trump submitted a significant civil nuclear agreement with Saudi Arabia to Congress for review on Tuesday, according to an official source cited by the Wall Street Journal. The deal, expected to last around 30 years, hinges on Saudi Arabia establishing diplomatic relations with Israel before it can be fully implemented. Trump administration officials highlighted that the agreement grants American companies a central role in developing Saudi Arabia's nuclear infrastructure while excluding foreign competitors. However, the deal has sparked controversy due to concerns it could enable Riyadh to enrich uranium in the future.

A senior official told Reuters that the agreement will only take effect if Saudi Arabia normalizes ties with Israel, reiterating the president's stance that the deal is contingent on Saudi Arabia joining the Abraham Accords. The agreement was sent to House leaders and is expected to be referred to committees imminently, with a 90-day window for objections before full enactment. Should Congress reject the deal, Trump could veto the decision, requiring a two-thirds majority in Congress to override.

The plan involves initially constructing civilian nuclear reactors using American technology and companies, followed by a joint research phase lasting about two and a half years to assess uranium enrichment on Saudi soil. If the research yields positive results, the US would then build a uranium enrichment facility in the kingdom. The US-Saudi cooperation has recently intensified beyond nuclear agreements; last month, US Central Command and the Saudi military jointly targeted pro-Iranian militias in eastern Iraq following over 30 drone attacks against US forces and Saudi energy infrastructure.