US to announce landmark deal allowing Saudi Arabia to enrich nuclear fuel
The US plans to announce a civilian nuclear deal with Saudi Arabia on Wednesday, including uranium enrichment. Critics fear it could lead to nuclear proliferation.
The United States is set to announce a landmark agreement with Saudi Arabia on Wednesday that would help establish a civilian nuclear program in the kingdom, according to media reports. The move comes as Washington is engaged in a war with Iran, which began partly over US concerns about Tehran's nuclear activities – a key sticking point in stalled talks.
Under the reported 30-year deal, US companies could build a uranium enrichment facility in Saudi Arabia. The agreement will be submitted to Congress, but approval is not required. US lawmakers from both parties and Israeli officials have opposed the civilian nuclear project, fearing it could be converted to develop nuclear weapons.
The deal is part of a broader US strategy that includes normalizing Saudi-Israeli relations and signing a US defense pact. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio declined to confirm the deal but dismissed nonproliferation concerns, saying the US would not accept any agreement that risks proliferation.
Meanwhile, renewed US-Iran fighting threatens further regional instability. Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen announced a naval blockade of Saudi ports, raising fears of disruptions to crude oil supplies. Saudi Arabia and the Houthis exchanged fire last week, jeopardizing a 2022 truce.
