The United States and Saudi Arabia have signed a landmark agreement to expand cooperation on civilian nuclear energy, paving the way for the Gulf kingdom to develop its peaceful nuclear programme.
Announcing the deal, the U.S. Department of Energy described it as a “peaceful nuclear cooperation agreement” that will provide American companies with significant opportunities to participate in Saudi Arabia’s nuclear energy sector.
Although the full text of the agreement has not been made public, U.S. media reports suggest it could eventually allow Saudi Arabia to enrich uranium. While enriched uranium is commonly used as fuel for nuclear power plants, it can also be processed for use in nuclear weapons, raising concerns among non-proliferation experts.
Analysts say such a provision would represent a major shift in U.S. nuclear policy and could heighten fears of nuclear proliferation in the Middle East, a region already grappling with geopolitical tensions.
The U.S. Department of Energy said the cooperation agreement was signed alongside a bilateral safeguards agreement, which it said would help ensure the peaceful use of nuclear technology.
According to the department, the two agreements establish the legal framework for a long-term, multi-billion-dollar partnership aimed at advancing shared economic and strategic interests while strengthening nuclear non-proliferation efforts.
The Saudi government also welcomed the agreement, describing it as an extension of existing energy cooperation between both countries. Riyadh noted that the deal builds on discussions held during the Saudi leadership’s visit to Washington in November last year.
