U.S. President Donald Trump announced on Thursday that any civil nuclear agreement between the United States and Saudi Arabia remains fully dependent on the kingdom joining the Abraham Accords.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump emphasized that the United States supports civil nuclear cooperation under strict conditions.
He wrote that America is “not opposed to Civil (Non-Enriched) Nuclear Facilities” and that the proposed deal would cover only “non-military use such as the ones that Iran and UAE (and others) already have.”
Experts say Trump’s explicit tie to the Abraham Accords adds a significant diplomatic layer to what has already been a multi-year negotiation process.
Trump says nuclear deal with Saudi Arabia totally subject to Riyadh joining Abraham Accords pic.twitter.com/Rltrx9u5UR
— Views&News (@ViewsNewsMag) July 23, 2026
Core Elements of the Agreement
The civil nuclear deal would allow Saudi Arabia to enrich uranium and construct nuclear reactors with American technology.
Notably, it does not include the “snap” UN inspections that Washington has long demanded from Iran.
This framework has been under discussion for years, spanning both Trump’s first term and the Biden administration.
Shift from Biden-Era Approach
A key difference stands out when comparing the current proposal to earlier Biden administration plans.
The Trump administration’s version does not require Saudi Arabia to adopt the Additional Protocol, which empowers the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to conduct surprise inspections at undeclared sites.
More than a year ago, Saudi Arabia transitioned from basic IAEA oversight—intended for countries with minimal nuclear programs—to standard safeguards focused on declared facilities.
Riyadh has openly stated that its nuclear ambitions include uranium enrichment capabilities.
Regional Security Concerns
The Additional Protocol serves as an important safeguard against hidden nuclear activities. This issue carries extra weight for Saudi Arabia because Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has publicly declared that the kingdom would pursue nuclear weapons if its rival Iran does the same.
According to PBS News, Iran originally accepted the Additional Protocol as part of the 2015 nuclear agreement with world powers.
That arrangement collapsed after President Trump withdrew the United States from the deal in 2018. Iran ceased implementing the Additional Protocol in 2023.
Enrichment and Reprocessing Risks
Under the emerging US-Saudi agreement, the kingdom would gain the ability to enrich uranium and reprocess nuclear waste—activities that represent potential routes to nuclear weapons development.
By contrast, the United Arab Emirates agreed in its 2009 civil nuclear pact with the United States to forgo both enrichment and reprocessing.
Trump’s latest statement links progress on the nuclear front directly to Saudi participation in the Abraham Accords, the landmark normalization agreements between Israel and several Arab states that he championed during his first term. He described the Accords as “very respected and successful.”
The proposed deal reflects long-standing Saudi interest in expanding its nuclear program for civilian energy purposes while navigating complex regional dynamics and non-proliferation questions.
Kiran Asim is a writer who covers the U.S., Europe, South Asia, and the Middle East. Her reports and analyses look at the geostrategic issues and contemporary developments and their economic and political implications. She also writes about society and education.
