The landmark nuclear deal announced between the US and Saudi Arabia depends on Riyadh joining the Abraham Accords, in other words recognising the state of Israel, US President Donald Trump has said. The comments came after experts criticised the deal as a possible risk for future nuclear proliferation in an already unstable region.
"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,"
Trump said in a post on Truth Social. His remarks follow concern from experts that the agreement could create further proliferation risks in a region already facing major instability.
Why is the nuclear deal controversial?
The nuclear issue has been at the centre of the months-long US-Israeli conflict with Iran. Critics say any civil nuclear agreement with Saudi Arabia could raise questions about how nuclear material is controlled in the future, especially given the tensions surrounding Iran and the wider regional security environment.
What are the Abraham Accords?
In 2020, Trump brokered the Abraham Accords, which secured the historic normalisation of relations between Israel and two Arab nations, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Bahrain. Sudan and Morocco have since normalised relations with Israel.
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