How Trump is trying to finalize another big nuclear deal
As the United States negotiates with Iran to try to curb its nuclear program, it is also advancing towards a preliminary agreement on a civilian nuclear program with one of Iran’s main rivals, Saudi Arabia.
Why it Matters
Saudi Arabia is a key Middle Eastern ally and a U.S.-led deal could help counter Iran‘s influence as well as that of China and Russia amid Washington’s efforts to prevent nuclear arms spreading further in the region.
If Iran were to acquire nuclear weapons it would likely prompt Saudi Arabia to seek to do likewise. Israel, which is widely believed to have its own nuclear weapons, would also be concerned if Saudi Arabia were on a path that could see it become nuclear armed.
Alexey Vitvitsky / Sputnik/AP
What To Know
The U.S. and Saudi Arabia are “on a pathway to unleash an unprecedented civil nuclear cooperation,” the Department of Energy said this week as U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright traveled to Riyadh for high-level energy talks. His visit, part of a broader Middle East tour including the UAE and Qatar, focused on expanding strategic energy partnerships.
A potential nuclear agreement could support Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 by diversifying its energy mix and strengthening infrastructure with U.S. assistance. According to the Wilson Center, deeper nuclear cooperation could reinforce a longstanding relationship historically grounded in oil and security and help balance China and Russia’s growing regional roles.
The United States and Iran are due to meet for a second round of nuclear talks this weekend.
Reviving Talks
The announcement on Saudi Arabia signals a U.S. desire to revive talks on a civil nuclear agreement with the kingdom, one that the previous Biden administration had pursued.
A potential agreement could allow U.S. companies to lead the development of the kingdom’s first nuclear reactors and may involve Saudi investment in a U.S.-based uranium enrichment facility, a move that would help Washington reduce its dependence on Russian-enriched uranium, Robert Einhorn, Senior Fellow at Brookings noted in a 2024 published analysis.
Saudi Arabian investment in U.S. energy infrastructure – from LNG to industrial development – supports our mutual goals for energy and economic diversification and secure supply chains. We need more energy, not less! pic.twitter.com/QzkHpBWT3d
— Secretary Chris Wright (@SecretaryWright) April 14, 2025
Former President Joe Biden‘s push for a civil nuclear deal with Saudi Arabia stalled amid U.S. demands for strict non-proliferation safeguards and Riyadh’s reluctance to normalize ties with Israel without progress on the Palestinian front.
Nuclear Terms Standoff
Under Section 123 of the U.S. Atomic Energy Act, commonly referred to as the “123 Agreements”, any nuclear deal with another country must include strict safeguards to prevent weapons development, including a ban on uranium enrichment and reprocessing.
Saudi Arabia has pushed back against restrictions, citing the right to energy independence, according to media reports.
Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman Al Saud, the Saudi Energy Minister, said the kingdom intends to monetize its mineral resources by producing and selling uranium, including enriching it and processing it into yellowcake for use in nuclear fuel, Reuters reported in January.
The kingdom had previously said it aims to move to full inspections by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), ending its current limited oversight arrangement, the report noted.
Tensions Over the Abraham Accords
Under Biden, the nuclear deal was tied to a broader strategic pact: normalization between Saudi Arabia and Israel. Currently, the U.S. has not explicitly tied a nuclear agreement to the Abraham Accords.
While the Trump administration views Saudi Arabia as the main potential candidate for expanding the Abraham Accords, the kingdom demands Israel’s commitment to a two-state solution for a Palestinian state alongside Israel.
What People Are Saying
U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright told Al-Arabiya English: “To get a specific agreement to partner on commercial nuclear development in Saudi Arabia, that will take a little bit longer, that will be months not weeks. We’ll need a 123 Agreement and a broader specific framework for how we’re gona cooperate together and how things are gona work but based on the discussions so far, I think it’s likely we get there.”
Saudi Energy Ministry Abdulaziz bin Salman: “The meeting discussed prospects for enhancing bilateral cooperation between the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the United States of America in several areas of the energy sector.”
Israel’s Yesh Atid leader Yair Lapid on X, translated from Hebrew: “Israel must demand from the United States, our closest ally, that any nuclear cooperation agreement with Saudi Arabia explicitly prohibit uranium enrichment on Saudi soil.”
What Happens Next
Talks are likely to progress, but the timeframe may be a matter of months at least. Israel is likely to seek assurances that any agreement would not make it easier for Saudi Arabia to take a path to nuclear weapons development.
