U.S. postpones signing Saudi Arabia uranium enrichment agreement
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The Trump administration has not yet signed a draft nuclear cooperation pact that would allow Saudi Arabia to enrich uranium, amid concerns over safeguards and potential congressional opposition.
The White House is holding off on signing a draft nuclear cooperation agreement that would permit Saudi Arabia to enrich uranium for civilian use. The deal, negotiated between the United States and Riyadh and concluded in October 2025, still requires President Donald Trump's signature.
Sources said the ongoing conflict with Iran and the prospect of a bipartisan congressional resolution opposing the pact have contributed to the delay. The agreement includes a 123 civil nuclear cooperation component and a bilateral safeguards arrangement, but it does not mandate the Additional Protocol, the enhanced inspection regime used by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).
"We’ve come together on a deal for civil nuclear cooperation," Energy Secretary Chris Wright said in an October 2025 statement, adding that the United States aims to expand partnership while maintaining a commitment to non-proliferation.
Experts warned that without the Additional Protocol, the IAEA would have limited authority to inspect undeclared sites, raising proliferation concerns. Kelsey Davenport of the Arms Control Association noted that the protocol was created to give the IAEA broader access after basic safeguards proved insufficient.
Andrea Stricker of the Foundation for Defense of Democracies argued that the absence of the protocol could allow Saudi facilities to be nationalized or used for weapons development, citing historical precedents such as Pakistan’s program.
Conversely, nuclear regulatory consultant Dan Joyner said the bilateral agreement could supplement existing IAEA safeguards, though its effectiveness depends on unpublished terms.
The draft also does not require Saudi Arabia to adopt the standard enhanced safeguards agreement, a departure from the 2009 U.S.–UAE deal that is often cited as the “gold standard” for nuclear cooperation. Critics warned that creating bespoke safeguards could set a precedent for other nations to seek similar arrangements, potentially undermining the IAEA’s role.
The Saudi embassy in Washington declined to comment, and the White House referred inquiries to the Energy Department’s earlier statement.