Nuclear deal that would permit uranium enrichment by Saudi Arabia in limbo awaiting Trump admin sign-off

Key Points:

• The Trump administration has tentatively agreed to allow Saudi Arabia to enrich uranium without requiring the enhanced international safeguards, known as the Additional Protocol, that are designed to prevent nuclear weapons development.
• The draft nuclear accord, including a 123 civil nuclear cooperation agreement and a bilateral safeguards deal, awaits President Trump's signature but has not yet been sent to Congress for review, with delays partly attributed to concerns over bipartisan opposition and the ongoing conflict with Iran.
• Saudi Arabia would be permitted a degree of domestic uranium enrichment and plutonium reprocessing, an unprecedented provision in US nuclear agreements, raising proliferation concerns given Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman's prior threats to develop nuclear weapons if Iran does.
• The agreement relies on a bilateral US-Saudi safeguards arrangement rather than standard IAEA oversight, causing unease among experts and lawmakers who view the UAE's 2009 deal—with enhanced IAEA safeguards and no enrichment—as the "gold standard" for nonproliferation.
• Proponents argue the deal supports US commercial nuclear interests and prevents Russia or China from providing less stringent terms to Saudi Arabia, while critics warn it risks setting a precedent for weaker safeguards globally and increasing proliferation dangers in the region.