The US and Saudi Arabia are expected to announce a deal on Wednesday that would allow the Gulf kingdom to develop a civilian nuclear programme. According to CBS News, the BBC's US partner, the agreement has been approved by US President Donald Trump and would last 30 years.
The deal could be worth billions of dollars to the US and tens of billions overall, with American companies potentially involved in building a facility to produce enriched uranium. Enriched uranium can be used as fuel for power plants, but it can also be used to make nuclear bombs.
Under the reported arrangement, Trump has not required Saudi Arabia's de facto ruler, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, to give diplomatic recognition to Israel. The New York Times reported that the US-Saudi deal has not been made contingent on Saudi normalising ties with Israel, despite the long-standing push from successive US presidents for such a step.
What would the deal allow?
The agreement would allow US companies to run nuclear power for the Saudis on Saudi soil, CBS reported, citing a regional official familiar with the arrangement. The corporations involved have not been disclosed, and Congress would need to be consulted.
After a joint study with the US, Saudi Arabia may be allowed to enrich uranium on its own territory to produce fuel at a US-built enrichment facility, rather than relying on imported fuel, according to media reports, external.
The Wall Street Journal reported that the deal would last 30 years and is estimated to be worth tens of billions of dollars, external. The publication also said that if the US objects to enrichment taking place in Saudi Arabia following the joint study, the kingdom would not be allowed to do so on its own or with another foreign partner for 10 years.
Why is the plan controversial?
The provision allowing enrichment on Saudi soil would distinguish this deal from the 2009 agreement between the US and Saudi Arabia's neighbour, the United Arab Emirates. Under that arrangement, the UAE does not produce its own fuel and accepts a host of other restrictions.
For that reason, the agreement is expected to attract concern from nuclear non-proliferation campaigners, whose aim is to prevent the spread of nuclear weapons worldwide. Nuclear experts and former officials in Israel, the US's top ally in the Middle East, have also voiced concern that the plan could ultimately allow Saudi Arabia to develop a nuclear weapon.
The nuclear issue has been central to the months-long US-Israeli conflict with Iran. The two nations say one of the reasons they attacked Iran in February was to prevent the country from ever developing a nuclear weapon, something Tehran denies planning to do.
In 2018, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman told CBS News that Saudi Arabia was not planning to acquire a nuclear weapon, but added:
without a doubt if Iran developed a nuclear bomb, we will follow suit as soon as possible
What happens next?
The plan will now be sent to the US Congress, where some lawmakers on both sides of the political aisle are expected to oppose it, although Trump's Republican Party controls both the upper and lower chambers.
The BBC has asked the White House for comment.
Key Facts
- The US and Saudi Arabia are expected to announce the deal on Wednesday.
- The agreement would last 30 years and could be worth tens of billions of dollars.
- US companies could be involved in building a facility to produce enriched uranium in Saudi Arabia.
- Congress would need to be consulted, and some lawmakers are expected to oppose the plan.
- The deal is not contingent on Saudi Arabia normalising diplomatic ties with Israel, according to the New York Times.
