US President Donald Trump said on Thursday a proposed US-Saudi civil nuclear agreement could progress only if Riyadh joins the Abraham Accords, making diplomatic ties with Israel a condition of the deal.
In a post on Truth Social, Mr Trump said the agreement, which would be overseen by the US Department of Energy, would be limited to non-military use and would prohibit uranium enrichment.
“The Civil Nuclear Deal … will be approved, but is totally subject to Saudi Arabia joining the very respected and successful Abraham Accords,” he wrote. The US supports civilian nuclear facilities that do not involve uranium enrichment, he added.
The comments signify a significant shift in Mr Trump's position. His administration has previously indicated a Saudi-Israeli agreement and a civil nuclear deal could proceed on separate tracks.
The Wall Street Journal previously reported that one provision under discussion would authorise a study into whether US companies could build a uranium enrichment plant in Saudi Arabia.
Any move to allow uranium enrichment in the kingdom would have major geopolitical implications, potentially strengthening Iran's argument for maintaining its own nuclear programme while raising concerns in Israel and elsewhere in the region.
On Wednesday, the Trump administration announced the agreement with Saudi Arabia to develop a civilian nuclear programme. The pact was signed alongside a bilateral protection agreement that lays the foundation for what the White House described as a decades-long, multibillion-dollar partnership.
The US Department of Energy said the nuclear co-operation agreement would expand US technology exports, reinforce global non-proliferation standards, deepen the US-Saudi partnership and create high-paying American jobs.
The agreement, years in the making, would give Saudi Arabia access to US nuclear technology, while allowing American companies to compete for major contracts tied to the kingdom's nuclear energy programme.
The accord, known as a “123 agreement”, still requires congressional approval before it can take effect. Republicans currently control the House of Representatives and the Senate.
