Trump says Saudi nuclear deal bars enrichment, requires Israel normalization

Axios

ONP Summary

Trump's administration approved a nuclear pact granting Saudi Arabia uranium enrichment rights, requiring Congressional review. The agreement drew criticism for insufficient oversight, against the backdrop of Saudi Arabia's stated readiness to acquire nuclear weapons should Iran do likewise.

Progressive:Proliferation risk — progressive outlets stress the deal's weak safeguards and uranium enrichment allowance, enabling Saudi Arabia to evade strict oversight.

Moderate:Procedural concerns — centrist outlets acknowledge arms control advocates' safeguard worries while emphasizing Congressional review requirements and the approval process.

Conservative:Strategic framework — conservative outlets situate the agreement within broader Middle East dynamics, either as Iran containment or US partnership implementation.

President Trump claimed Thursday the new nuclear deal the U.S. signed with Saudi Arabia will not include uranium enrichment and requires the kingdom normalize its relations with Israel.

Why it matters: Trump is responding to two of the bigger criticisms of the deal: that it could open the door to nuclear enrichment and that Washington gave up leverage to push a peace deal with Israel.

What he is saying: "The Civil Nuclear Deal (There will be no enrichment of material!) being made between the United States Department of Energy and Saudi Arabia, which pertains only to non-military use such as the ones that Iran and UAE (and others) already have, will be approved, but is totally subject to Saudi Arabia joining the very respected and successful Abraham Accords," Trump wrote on Truth Social.

Driving the news: U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright and Saudi Energy Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman signed the deal Wednesday in Washington after more than a year of negotiations.

The agreement stipulates that American companies will help Saudi Arabia develop its civilian nuclear program.

Yes, but: The Wall Street Journal reported that the agreement also includes a joint U.S.–Saudi study on possible future uranium enrichment in the country.

The agreement doesn't require Saudi Arabia sign a separate International Atomic Energy Agency protocol allowing snap inspections by UN inspectors.

The Energy Department said the agreement includes a bilateral U.S.–Saudi "safeguards agreement" that will prevent Saudi Arabia from using its nuclear program for anything other than peaceful purposes.

"Rest assured, these agreements uphold the highest standards of nuclear safety and nonproliferation," Secretary Wright said.

The big picture: The nuclear negotiations began under the Biden administration as part of a broader deal that included a U.S.–Saudi defense treaty and required Saudi Arabia sign a peace deal with Israel.

The current agreement was signed separately from any Saudi–Israeli peace deal, and there is no indication its text formally links the two.

Critics argue that Trump lost some of the leverage he had to push the Saudis towards normalization with Israel.

The Saudis themselves say they will not normalize relations with Israel without the Israeli government agreeing to an "irreversible and time-bound path" for a Palestinian state. ...

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