On July 22, 2026, the United States and Saudi Arabia signed a historic agreement on cooperation in the field of peaceful nuclear energy, paving the way for one of the most ambitious and controversial nuclear deals in recent years.
The document, known as an "123 Agreement" under the U.S. Atomic Energy Act, was signed by U.S. Secretary of Energy Chris Wright and his Saudi counterpart, Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman. The agreement is valid for 30 years and provides for a multi-year partnership worth tens of billions of dollars.
At the heart of the deal is Saudi Arabia's potential authorization to enrich nuclear fuel on its territory, an operation that has been strictly prohibited until now. Although the transfer of uranium enrichment technologies itself is not stipulated in the document, a joint American-Saudi group will have the right to study the construction of a fuel enrichment facility. This means that American companies will be able to participate in the creation of Saudi nuclear energy infrastructure and compete for huge contracts for reactor development.
The agreement contains controversial security provisions that have already raised serious concerns among both U.S. congressmen and in Israel. The document does not require Saudi Arabia to sign the IAEA Additional Protocol, which establishes enhanced inspection mechanisms—the so-called "gold standard" of international nuclear oversight. Moreover, Riyadh has not committed to abandoning the development of its own spent fuel reprocessing capabilities, which could theoretically lead to plutonium production.
The historical prerequisite for the deal was Saudi Arabia's long-standing desire to gain access to American nuclear technologies. Under the Biden administration, the agreement was considered part of a broader diplomatic package that was intended to include the normalization of relations between Saudi Arabia and Israel. However, these negotiations stalled after the Hamas terrorist attacks on October 7, 2023. The Trump administration resumed work on the nuclear program last year, allowing for a move towards softer terms for Riyadh.
The deal will inevitably affect the regional balance of power amid tense relations between Saudi Arabia and Iran. Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman announced back in 2018 that if Iran developed nuclear weapons, the kingdom would seek to acquire them. Washington fears that Saudi access to uranium enrichment could push Tehran towards an even more aggressive nuclear program and trigger a new arms race in the Middle East.
The next critical stage will be the submission of the agreement to Congress for mandatory review. Legislators from both parties are already expressing skepticism, fearing that the deal opens the door for covert weapons development and violates international non-proliferation norms. The fate of the agreement largely depends on the Senate's position and public opinion regarding this unsafe but strategically significant step.
