Trump approves nuclear deal with Saudi Arabia, official says

President Donald Trump has approved a nuclear deal with Saudi Arabia that could lead to the kingdom enriching its own fuel for civilian reactors, according to a US official.

The deal would last 30 years and could be announced as soon as Wednesday, according to the official, who added the agreement would involve American companies providing technology and expertise in developing the Saudi programme.

The Trump administration intends to send the deal to Congress after it is announced.

Any agreement to give Saudi Arabia access to nuclear technology could prove controversial, both domestically and within the wider Middle East region, since the ability to enrich nuclear fuel could, in theory, eventually lead to the creation of nuclear weapons.

The agreement includes limits on what inspections might be carried out on the Saudi program, according to the US official, which may draw scepticism from lawmakers.

Israel, which is widely believed to have undeclared nuclear weapons, has long been wary of Saudi Arabia accessing nuclear technology.

Iran, Saudi Arabia’s main rival in the region, has a stockpile of enriched uranium and has vowed to cling to its nuclear programme even after months of US bombardment, claiming the programme is for civilian purposes.

-CNN