US, Saudi Arabia sign civil nuclear deal paving way for uranium enrichment
The United States and Saudi Arabia signed a civil nuclear cooperation agreement (123 agreement) on July 23, 2026, signed by US Energy Secretary Chris Wright and Saudi Energy Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman.
The agreement includes a bilateral safeguards agreement and a framework for a joint US-Saudi study on building a uranium enrichment facility in Saudi Arabia.
US officials stated the deal upholds the highest standards of nuclear safety and nonproliferation, with US companies involved in developing the program over a 30-year period.
The agreement will be submitted to the US Congress for review and may face opposition from lawmakers concerned about proliferation risks.
The deal comes as the US and Israel continue military operations against Iran, which Washington accuses of having a uranium enrichment program that could enable nuclear weapons development.
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