Trump approves deal allowing Saudi Arabia to enrich uranium as part of a civilian nuclear program - report
The deal omits key nonproliferation safeguards, raising concerns among lawmakers and arms control experts
US President Donald Trump has approved a deal with Saudi Arabia allowing them to enrich uranium as part of a civilian nuclear program. The agreement could allow for the building of a uranium enrichment facility in Saudi Arabia following a joint US-Saudi study. He is now expected to seek congressional approval for the deal, which was first reported on by the Wall Street Journal and independently confirmed by both AP and Reuters.
The deal is expected to last 30 years and be worth tens of billions of dollars. It is designed to give American companies a central role in developing Saudi Arabia's nuclear infrastructure while shutting out other foreign competitors.
The White House is expected to officially announce the deal as early as Wednesday.
The deal, known as the 123 Agreement, was made in reference to Section 123 of the US Atomic Energy Act of 1954, which is required to allow the US government and American companies to work with entities in Saudi Arabia to develop its civil nuclear industry. Once submitted, 123 agreements go into a roughly 90-day congressional review period. Unlike regular bills, which require a vote to pass, Congress would need to pass a joint resolution with a two-thirds majority to override a presidential veto, or else the agreement will go through.
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One issue that may keep Congress from voting in favor of the agreement is that it does not include the "Gold Standard" that would block Saudi Arabia from enriching uranium and reprocessing spent nuclear fuel, nor does it include the IAEA's Additional Protocol, which grants more intrusive oversight, including snap inspections at undeclared locations. Many Democrats and some Republicans, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio during his time in the Senate, have said any agreement should include stronger safeguards.
The United Arab Emirates signed a 123 Agreement with the US in 2009 to build its Barakah nuclear power plant without seeking enrichment rights, a deal nonproliferation experts have held up as the "gold standard" for nations pursuing civilian nuclear power.
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has said Saudi Arabia would pursue a nuclear weapon if Iran developed one, telling CBS in 2018, "Saudi Arabia does not want to acquire any nuclear bomb, but without a doubt if Iran developed a nuclear bomb, we will follow suit as soon as possible." The announcement comes amid the ongoing US-Israeli war against Iran, launched in part to curb Tehran's nuclear ambitions.