The United States and Saudi Arabia announced a landmark agreement on Wednesday to launch a civilian nuclear program in the kingdom, with Washington saying the deal incorporates strict non-proliferation measures.
The move comes as the United States, under President Donald Trump, fights a war with Iran that began in part over U.S. concerns about Tehran's nuclear program, an issue that remains a key point of contention in now-stalled talks between the two foes.
"Together, these two agreements lay the legal foundation for a decades-long, multibillion-dollar partnership that advances several priority economic and strategic objectives, including nuclear nonproliferation," the department said in a statement.
A provision in the deal would potentially see U.S. companies build a uranium enrichment facility in Saudi Arabia, The Wall Street Journal reported. The Energy Department's statement made no mention of such a provision, and the department did not comment when asked about it by Agence France-Presse (AFP).
The deal will be submitted to Congress for review, but the Republican-controlled legislature is unlikely to block its implementation.
