Saudi Arabia may gain the right to enrich uranium independently under its civilian nuclear program — the Trump administration has preliminarily approved the terms of such an agreement, reports infohub.kz.
The key issue surrounding the deal is the lack of strict guarantees that would obligate Riyadh to forgo any potential nuclear weapons pursuit and allow expanded inspections by the International Atomic Energy Agency.
Experts interviewed by CNN warn that if Saudi Arabia obtains the right to enrich uranium without joining the IAEA's Additional Protocol, it could significantly shorten the country's path to building its own nuclear capability.
Earlier, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman stated that if Iran acquires nuclear weapons, the kingdom would also seek to achieve that status.
Washington and Riyadh concluded negotiations on nuclear cooperation in fall 2025, but the agreement has not yet been signed by the U.S. president. According to CNN, the process has stalled in part due to the onset of the U.S.-Israel war against Iran.