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.”
