US signs deal with Saudi Arabia that could allow kingdom to enrich nuclear fuel

 

US President Donald Trump (R) speaks during a bilateral meeting with Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman of Saudi Arabia (L) in the Oval Office of the White House on November 18, 2025 in Washington, DC.

Win McNamee/Getty Images

President Donald Trump has approved a nuclear deal with Saudi Arabia that could lead to the kingdom enriching its own fuel for civilian reactors without adopting the “gold standard” of international oversight, according to two US officials and a source familiar with the matter.

The Department of Energy announced the agreement’s signature on Wednesday afternoon. It will next go to Congress for a mandatory review period.

The deal, known as a 123 agreement, would last 30 years, according to one US official, who added that it would involve American companies providing technology and expertise to develop the Saudi program.

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.

Energy Secretary Chris Wright, in a statement accompanying the signature announcement, argued that “the agreements uphold the highest standards of nuclear safety and nonproliferation.”

CNN previously reported that the administration let the deal languish for months over concerns about the Iran war and the potential for congressional disapproval.

Before uranium enrichment could begin, a joint US-Saudi team would explore whether it is warranted and commercially viable, and Americans would build the facility without transferring the sensitive technology to Saudi Arabia.

The deal otherwise bars Riyadh from developing its own enrichment technology or purchasing it from other countries for a decade, according to the Wall Street Journal, which first reported the deal’s approval.

The agreement includes limits on what inspections might be carried out on the Saudi program, according to the officials and sources, which may draw skepticism from lawmakers.

The kingdom is notably not required to sign a standard agreement called the Additional Protocol with the International Atomic Energy Agency, like the United Arab Emirates did in 2009 when it signed a “gold standard” nuclear cooperation deal with the US, an official said. The Saudis long balked at signing the protocol over concerns that it could theoretically allow inspectors to enter the holy city of Mecca or royal palaces.