BBC Persian has obtained the original version of the nuclear deal between Saudi Arabia and America.
This shows that contrary to US President Donald Trump's claim, the way is open for Saudi Arabia to enrich uranium up to 20 percent.
After the news of the signing of this agreement came out on August 1, Trump had said that the entire agreement is based on the condition of Saudi Arabia joining the Abraham Accords.
That is, in simple words, according to Trump, Saudi Arabia will have to recognize Israel in exchange for uranium enrichment.
But a BBC investigation shows that at least in the original version of this document there is no mention of the Abraham Accords.
It is also not mandatory for Saudi Arabia to recognize Israel.
What did Trump say?
The US President wrote on the social media platform Truth the day after the signing of the agreement with Saudi Arabia, "The civilian nuclear deal (which will be for civilian use only) will be approved. But it is completely dependent on Saudi Arabia joining the highly respected and successful Abraham Accords."
At that time Saudi officials had denied these claims. But the White House did not release the agreement. Therefore, till now these claims could not be independently confirmed.
Now, six weeks after the signing of the nuclear deal between the US and Saudi Arabia, the BBC has obtained a full, signed version of the deal. It was sent to the US Congress.
This document confirms that what US President Donald Trump has said does not match the deal.
What is written in the original deal?
Nowhere in the original copy of this 72-page agreement is there any condition for Saudi Arabia to join the Abraham Accords or recognize Israel.
In this, the path to enrich uranium up to 20 percent for Saudi Arabia has been officially kept open, subject to conditions and in a phased manner.
It has also not been made mandatory for Saudi Arabia to join the Additional Protocol of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).
Article 7 of the agreement states that Saudi Arabia can enrich uranium after "the written consent of both parties" and the completion of "a joint study on enrichment." According to this, this two-year study will start as soon as the agreement is implemented.
In section 5 of this article, a phased approach has been adopted for enrichment.
It states that any enrichment plant in Saudi Arabia, which uses American equipment or technology, will be able to enrich uranium only to a maximum of 5 percent in the first phase.
Many concessions to Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia can increase the level of its enrichment after an additional study is completed and written consent from both parties. But it should not exceed 20 percent.
Experts who advocate not allowing Iran to enrich more than 5 percent have always argued that after reaching 20 percent enrichment, 90 percent of the process of acquiring the technology of nuclear bomb is completed. Subsequent steps can potentially be completed faster.
So, on the same basis on which America opposes Iran's uranium enrichment, why Saudi Arabia was allowed to enrich it is a big question.
On the other hand, this agreement obliges Saudi Arabia to accept the inspections stipulated under the agreement, but it will not be necessary for it to join the Additional Protocol.
To send equipment, materials or any kind of parts related to this program, it will be necessary to implement the bilateral security agreement between the US and Saudi Arabia. With this, America's surveillance system will be implemented in this matter.
Experts and experts concerned about stopping the spread of nuclear weapons are concerned about this issue.
The security agreement between the US and Saudi Arabia on surveillance is limited to "covered sites" only.
That is, till such places which are directly related to this agreement. These include sites that work with the help of American nuclear technology or material. In contrast, joining the Additional Protocol would have imposed monitoring of a country's entire nuclear program, as well as potentially clandestine sites and sites operating independently of cooperation with the US, which is not a condition of the deal.
By comparing the nuclear deal between the US and the United Arab Emirates with the new agreement with Saudi Arabia, it becomes clear that Trump has given very important concessions to Saudi Arabia instead of the UAE.
The United Arab Emirates has made an agreement that it will never conduct any kind of uranium enrichment or reprocessing on its soil. Also, joining the Additional Protocol was a pre-condition for issuing any nuclear export license from America. And if the UAE takes any steps towards enrichment, even if no other commitments are broken, it will be considered a complete violation of the agreement and cooperation between the two sides. Saudi Arabia has not accepted any of these conditions.
The White House has mentioned two "confidential side letters" in its letter sent to Congress.
Their content has not been released yet. Even if these side letters contain some provisions related to these issues, they will have no impact on the form of this cooperation in practice without the consent and signature of Saudi Arabia.
