The United States and Saudi Arabia are expected to enter a new era of nuclear energy cooperation after President Donald Trump approved an agreement with Riyadh that could potentially grant the Kingdom uranium-enrichment capability for its civilian nuclear program.
The deal, first reported by The Wall Street Journal and The New York Times, could be announced as early as Wednesday. It is estimated to be worth tens of billions of dollars and would run for 30 years.
According to the reports, the agreement is structured to give American companies a central role in developing Saudi Arabia’s nuclear infrastructure while locking out other foreign competitors.
Trump has reached a deal with Crown Prince MBS of Saudi Arabia to proceed with U.S.-Saudi civil nuclear cooperation. Some US lawmakers and Israeli officials oppose such an agreement because they fear the prince will make nuclear weapons. He has vowed to do that if Iran does so. pic.twitter.com/me2mkHz0QA
— Edward Wong (@ewong) July 22, 2026
The administration will now present the deal to Congress for a 30-day review period, where it may face headwinds from lawmakers concerned that helping the Saudis achieve their long-standing goal of domestic uranium enrichment could trigger a new wave of nuclear proliferation and regional competition.
Saudi Arabia is a member of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), the Vienna-based watchdog that promotes peaceful nuclear cooperation while conducting inspections to ensure member states do not develop covert weapons capabilities.
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However, the agreement is not expected to include the IAEA’s “additional protocol”—a voluntary measure that permits more intrusive inspections and shorter-notice verification—according to the same reports.
The move comes amid escalating U.S.-Iran tensions, which flared in February, with the United States and Israel vowing to dismantle Tehran’s capacity to develop a nuclear weapon.
Iran, a long-standing regional rival of Saudi Arabia, insists its enrichment program is entirely peaceful, though reports indicate it has significantly advanced its enrichment capabilities in recent months.
The White House has not publicly commented on the reports. If finalized, the deal would mark a major shift in the Middle East’s strategic landscape, where Arab states, Iran, and its proxies are locked in an intense competition for political influence.
Iftikhar Ali is a veteran Pakistani journalist, former president of UN Correspondents Association, and a recipient of the Pride of Performance civil award
