Trump administration has signed off on civilian nuclear deal with Saudi Arabia, media report

The Trump administration has agreed to sign off on a broad civilian nuclear deal with Saudi Arabia, the Wall Street Journal and New York Times reported late Tuesday.

CNN reported over the weekend that the White House had tentatively agreed to allow Saudi Arabia to enrich uranium without enacting international safeguards intended to prevent nuclear weapons development, according to sources familiar with the matter and documents reviewed by CNN. The deal was awaiting President Donald Trump’s signature.

The New York Times, citing unnamed US officials, said the agreement would be announced Wednesday while the Wall Street Journal said Trump had now formally approved the deal.

Any deal to give Saudi Arabia nuclear technology could prove controversial, both domestically and within the wider Middle East region. Israel, widely believed to have undeclared nuclear weapons, has long been wary of Saudi Arabia accessing nuclear technology. Iran, the main regional rival to Saudi Arabia, has a stockpile of near-bomb grade uranium and has vowed to cling to its nuclear program even after months of US bombardment, claiming it’s for civilian purposes.

Uranium enrichment and plutonium reprocessing are the two main pathways to create the core material necessary to build nuclear weapons. Most countries whose civilian nuclear reactors require enriched uranium don’t produce it domestically — they instead purchase the material from vendors like the US or Russia and receive it in sealed shipments under strict international supervision.

Two sources familiar with the matter told CNN over the weekend the uranium enrichment provision includes stipulations imposed by the US, but details of potential limitations are unclear.

Known as the “123 agreement”, the deal will also not provide the final word on whether Saudi Arabia gets sensitive technology and material.

Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince, Mohammed bin Salman, has previously threatened to build his own nuclear weapons should Iran acquire the bomb.


-CNN