President Donald Trump has stated that the United States' civil nuclear cooperation agreement with Saudi Arabia will only proceed if Riyadh agrees to join the Abraham Accords, the normalization framework that requires recognition of the State of Israel. Trump made the announcement on Truth Social, writing: "The Civil Nuclear Deal (There will be no enrichment of material!)... which pertains only to non-military use... will be approved, but is totally subject to Saudi Arabia joining the very respected and successful Abraham Accords."
New Obstacle to Agreement
According to the BBC, this condition introduces a significant new obstacle to the agreement, whose signing was announced on Wednesday. The US Energy Department had described it as a "peaceful nuclear co-operation agreement" that would give American companies broad access to Saudi Arabia's nuclear energy programme. Trump's condition appears to contradict earlier reports that the deal could allow Saudi Arabia to enrich uranium. His post on Truth Social explicitly rules out enrichment.
Saudi Arabia's Long-Standing Position on Israel
Saudi Arabia has consistently maintained that it will not extend recognition to Israel unless a Palestinian state is established, a position that puts it at odds with Trump's latest demand. The kingdom has not responded publicly to Trump's remarks. It remains unclear whether the Abraham Accords condition was written into the agreement's text, which has not been released, or whether Riyadh had previously accepted or would accept such a requirement.
Nuclear Proliferation Concerns
Concerns from experts had already surrounded the deal, with critics warning it could contribute to nuclear proliferation in an already volatile region. Earlier US media reports had suggested the agreement might leave the door open for Saudi Arabia to enrich uranium at some future point, but Trump's Truth Social post appears to rule that out. In 2020, Trump brokered the Abraham Accords, under which the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain normalized ties with Israel. Sudan, Morocco, and Kazakhstan later signed on as well.
Saudi Crown Prince's Previous Statements
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman told CBS News in 2018 that the kingdom had no intention of acquiring nuclear weapons, but added that if Iran developed one, Saudi Arabia would "follow suit as soon as possible." That statement has kept the issue at the center of ongoing US and Israeli concerns about Iran's nuclear ambitions.
Israel Welcomes Trump's Remarks
The office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu responded positively on X, saying Saudi Arabia's entry into the Abraham Accords "would be an historic leap forward for peace in the Middle East." The statement made no direct mention of the nuclear deal. Israeli Economy Minister Nir Barkat had previously said Israel "can manage it" if Saudi Arabia acquired nuclear power for civilian use. Israel itself is widely thought to possess nuclear weapons, though it has never confirmed or denied this.
Congressional Review Ahead
The agreement will now go to the US Congress for review. Some lawmakers on both sides of the political divide are expected to push back against it, though Trump's Republican Party controls both chambers and opponents are not believed to have enough votes to block ratification.
