Nuclear deal that would permit uranium enrichment by Saudi Arabia in limbo awaiting Trump admin sign off

A proposed nuclear cooperation deal between the United States and Saudi Arabia, which could potentially allow the Kingdom to enrich uranium, remains stalled and awaits presidential approval from the Trump administration as of July 2026. Negotiations for this civil nuclear accord reportedly concluded in October 2025, but the agreement has yet to receive the necessary signature to move forward. Sources indicate that a contributing factor to the delay may be the ongoing conflict with Iran and concerns within Congress about potential bipartisan disapproval of the deal.

A central point of contention in the draft agreement is the provision that would tentatively permit Saudi Arabia to enrich uranium without adhering to international safeguards typically designed to prevent nuclear weapons development. This deviates from the "gold standard" U.S. policy requiring partner nations to forgo domestic enrichment and reprocessing capabilities. While U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright stated in November 2025 that enrichment was not part of a "Joint Declaration" on civil nuclear cooperation, other reports suggest the broader draft accord does include provisions for enrichment without enhanced safeguards. Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has previously indicated that his country would pursue nuclear weapons if regional rival Iran were to acquire them.

The agreement, known as a 123 agreement, has not yet been submitted to Congress for its legally mandated 90-day review, with some lawmakers expressing concerns about its nonproliferation implications. Saudi Arabia has expressed its ambition to develop a full domestic nuclear fuel cycle, including uranium enrichment, to meet its energy needs and potentially for export. The Kingdom rescinded a "small quantities protocol" in 2024, enabling full implementation of its comprehensive safeguards agreement with the International Atomic Energy Agency, but it has not adopted an Additional Protocol, which is considered a crucial enhanced safeguard.