US announces landmark civilian nuclear deal with Saudi Arabia, emphasizing non-proliferation safeguards

The US on Wednesday announced a landmark deal with Saudi Arabia that would establish a civilian nuclear programme in the Gulf country, with Washington insisting the agreement includes safeguards against non-proliferation.

The move comes as the US under President Donald Trump fights a war with Iran that began in large part over concerns with Tehran’s nuclear programme – an issue that remains a key point of contention during now-stalled peace talks.

Two agreements – one on “peaceful nuclear cooperation” and another on “bilateral safeguards” – were signed by US Energy Secretary Chris Wright and his Saudi counterpart Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman, the US Energy Department said.

The text of the deals was not immediately made public.

“Together, these two agreements lay the legal foundation for a decades-long, multibillion-dollar partnership that advances several priority economic and strategic objectives, including nuclear non-proliferation,” the department said in a statement.

A provision in the deal would potentially see US companies build a uranium enrichment facility in Saudi Arabia, The Wall Street Journal reported. The Energy Department statement made no mention of such a provision and did not offer comment when asked about it by Agence France-Presse.