Trump ties US-Saudi nuclear deal to Israel recognition, bars enrichment
President Donald Trump said the newly signed US-Saudi civilian nuclear cooperation deal excludes uranium enrichment rights and is contingent on Riyadh moving toward recognizing Israel. The agreement, signed Wednesday, now heads to Congress for review. It marks one of the most significant US-Saudi accords in years.
Trump announced Thursday that the civilian nuclear cooperation agreement signed with Saudi Arabia a day earlier does not grant Riyadh the right to enrich uranium, addressing a key nonproliferation concern raised by lawmakers and allies. The deal, largely finalized after months of negotiation, will be submitted to Congress for a mandatory review period before it can take effect.
Trump said the agreement is contingent on Saudi Arabia moving toward normalizing relations with Israel, tying the nuclear pact to the broader Abraham Accords framework his administration has pushed to expand across the Gulf. The Department of Energy confirmed the deal's submission but did not detail a timeline for Saudi-Israeli recognition steps.
The announcement lands as Gulf tensions remain elevated over the Iran conflict and Houthi attacks on shipping. Saudi officials have not publicly confirmed the Israel-recognition condition, and analysts say Riyadh's response will shape how quickly the nuclear partnership advances.
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