Trump sends Saudi civil nuclear deal to Congress, with progress tied to Abraham Accords

The United States has sent a civil nuclear cooperation agreement with Saudi Arabia to Congress, opening a formal review of a deal that could shape both energy policy and Middle East diplomacy. According to a government official cited in the supplied material, the agreement is expected to move forward only if Riyadh joins the Abraham Accords. The accords are the set of agreements that normalised relations between Israel and several Arab states.

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The reported pact would create a legal basis for nuclear cooperation between the two countries for 30 years. It would allow US companies to take part in developing Saudi nuclear infrastructure and could, in principle, permit the construction of a uranium enrichment facility in the kingdom. The material also says the agreement does not, by itself, require the United States to transfer enrichment technology or to build such a plant immediately.

The proposal is likely to face scrutiny in Washington because of proliferation concerns. The supplied material says lawmakers and international officials have already expressed concern that allowing Saudi Arabia to enrich uranium could encourage a regional nuclear race. Critics also argue that it could weaken the US position on Iran's nuclear programme, given longstanding American opposition to enrichment there.

The issue matters because Saudi Arabia is one of the most influential states in the Gulf and any change in its nuclear policy would have wider regional implications. Civil nuclear cooperation can support energy diversification, but it also raises questions about safeguards, oversight and the line between civilian and military capability. The reported condition linking the deal to the Abraham Accords also shows how nuclear policy is being used as part of broader diplomatic bargaining.

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The supplied material says the agreement would last 30 years and would give US firms priority in bidding for contracts linked to the Saudi programme. It also notes that the deal was sent to Congress as required under US law, where lawmakers have 90 days to review and vote on it. If the executive branch were to veto any congressional move against it, a two-thirds majority in both chambers would be needed to override that decision.

What remains unclear is how much support the agreement has in Congress and whether Saudi Arabia would accept the political condition attached to it. It is also not clear whether the final text would include additional safeguards that specialists consider essential. The next stage will be the congressional review period, which will determine whether the proposal advances, is amended, or is blocked.

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