US to announce deal allowing Saudi Arabia a nuclear programme, reports say

The US and Saudi Arabia have signed a landmark deal that will reportedly allow the Gulf kingdom to develop a civilian nuclear programme.

The deal is described as a "peaceful nuclear co-operation agreement" that will provide "great access for American companies in the Saudi nuclear energy program", according to a joint statement from the US Secretary of Energy and the Saudi Minister of Energy.

A "bilateral safeguards agreement" was also signed.

"Together, these two agreements lay the legal foundation for a decades-long, multi-billion-dollar partnership that advances several priority economic and strategic objectives, including nuclear nonproliferation," the statement reads.

US signs landmark nuclear deal with Saudi Arabia

Specific details were not given but earlier reports suggested the deal will allow US companies to run nuclear power for the Saudis on Saudi soil.

This could be worth billions of dollars to the US, whose companies could be involved in building a facility to produce enriched uranium, which can be used as fuel for power plants but also to make nuclear bombs.

According to Wednesday's statement, the deal will "advance US and regional security by upholding high standards of nuclear safety, security, and nonproliferation and strengthening the United States' competitive edge in civil nuclear technology".

"Rest assured, these agreements uphold the highest standards of nuclear safety and nonproliferation, while relying on the world's best nuclear technology and scientists, designed right here in the United States," said US Secretary of Energy Chris Wright.

Nuclear experts and former officials in Israel - the US's top ally in the Middle East - voiced concern the plan could ultimately lead to Saudi Arabia being able to develop a nuclear weapon.

"Thanks to President Trump, the American nuclear renaissance is underway and will deliver long-term benefits to the American and Saudi people."

The agreement will now be sent to Congress for review. Some lawmakers on both sides of the political aisle are also expected to oppose the deal, though Trump's Republican Party controls both the upper and lower chambers.

The US-Saudi deal has already been approved by Trump, according to The Wall Street Journal.

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, the newspaper says.

The US-Saudi deal has not been made contingent on the Saudis normalising diplomatic ties with Israel, the New York Times reports. The push for Saudi-Israeli normalisation has been an aspiration of successive US presidents.

The nuclear issue has been at the centre of 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 that Tehran denies planning to do.

Saudi Arabia's de facto ruler, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, told CBS News in 2018 that his own nation was not planning to acquire a nuclear weapon, but that "without a doubt if Iran developed a nuclear bomb, we will follow suit as soon as possible".

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