Saudi Arabia has taken another step towards its ambitious civilian nuclear programme after persuading the United States to provide peaceful nuclear energy technology. At the same time, Riyadh rejected restrictions and conditions accepted by other countries, prompting some observers to warn that the agreement could one day pave the way for a nuclear weapon.
The administration of US President Donald Trump is expected to submit a “123 Agreement” on nuclear energy technology cooperation to Congress within hours. The agreement bears the signatures of US Energy Secretary Chris Wright and his Saudi counterpart, Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman.
What Makes the Agreement Noteworthy?
The key point is that Riyadh rejected the “gold standard”, which prohibits the domestic enrichment and reprocessing of nuclear materials. This differs from an earlier US agreement with the United Arab Emirates.
What Is the “Gold Standard”?
The “gold standard” is a strict legal and regulatory model under which a country voluntarily and permanently renounces domestic uranium enrichment and plutonium reprocessing in exchange for access to civilian nuclear technology and equipment from advanced states.
In other words, Saudi Arabia would not be bound by the International Atomic Energy Agency’s Additional Protocol, which grants the agency broader powers to monitor a country’s nuclear activities and conduct wider inspections inside the state, rather than limiting access to nuclear energy facilities alone.
Why Is It Called a “123 Agreement”?
The agreement takes its name from Section 123 of the US Atomic Energy Act of 1954. It provides the legally binding framework required for major peaceful nuclear cooperation between the United States and its partners.
Such an agreement must be in place before significant exports of US-origin nuclear materials, including reactor fuel, or nuclear equipment such as reactors and major components can be licensed for transfer to another partner.
What Does the Agreement Cover?
In addition to facilitating nuclear cooperation, a 123 Agreement is intended to advance shared nuclear non-proliferation and security objectives between the United States and its partners. It establishes nine nuclear non-proliferation criteria.
According to the US State Department, these include legal obligations requiring American partners to maintain strong standards concerning International Atomic Energy Agency safeguards and the physical security of transferred nuclear materials.
The United States also retains approval rights over the retransfer, enrichment or reprocessing of US-obligated nuclear material supplied to another partner. The transferred materials or equipment must not be used in a nuclear explosive device or for any other military purpose.
What Are the Agreement’s Main Details?
The agreement will remain in force for 30 years and is valued at billions of dollars.
It gives US companies a central role in constructing Saudi Arabia’s civilian nuclear programme while excluding foreign competitors.
The agreement includes the construction of nuclear reactors using technology developed by the American company Westinghouse, including the AP1000 reactor, which produces approximately 1,100 megawatts of electricity.
According to The Wall Street Journal, the agreement provides for a two-year joint Saudi-US study to assess the commercial feasibility of enriching uranium inside the Kingdom.
Saudi Arabia would also be required not to turn to another partner for 10 years if the United States objects.
The Programme’s Nuclear Capacity
Among the reactors under consideration, the AP1000 produces around 1,100 megawatts of electricity. This is enough to supply approximately 800,000 to one million homes, or the equivalent of a large city or several smaller cities, depending on the country’s average electricity consumption.
What Does Saudi Arabia Gain?
Saudi Arabia’s nuclear programme is linked to Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s Vision 2030 plan, which seeks to diversify the Kingdom’s energy sources, support its atomic energy programme and benefit from nuclear energy and radiation-based applications for peaceful purposes.
The programme is presented as part of Saudi Arabia’s efforts to achieve sustainable national development and support broader economic growth.
Riyadh also seeks to diversify its energy mix, benefit from domestic uranium reserves and free larger quantities of oil for export.
What About Israel?
The Israeli occupation state has not yet issued an official position on the proposed agreement. However, former Israeli Defence Minister Avigdor Lieberman claimed that Saudi Arabia’s civilian nuclear programme would ultimately lead to the acquisition of nuclear weapons and trigger a regional arms race.
Lieberman called on the government to oppose any US agreement permitting Saudi Arabia to establish a civilian nuclear programme.
Hebrew-language media reported that the agreement, in its current form, does not include any reference to normalising relations with “Israel” in exchange for allowing Riyadh to establish a civilian nuclear programme.
Speaking to the official Israeli Broadcasting Corporation on Wednesday, Lieberman claimed that “every military nuclear programme begins with a civilian nuclear programme”, citing Iran’s nuclear programme as an example.
Does Saudi Arabia Want a Nuclear Bomb?
The answer is both yes and no.
Mohammed bin Salman has repeatedly stated in media interviews that Saudi Arabia is not seeking to develop a nuclear bomb. However, he has also said that the Kingdom would pursue one if neighbouring Iran moved to produce a nuclear weapon.
What Happens Next?
Once the agreement is submitted to Congress, it will enter a review period lasting approximately 90 days of continuous congressional session.
During that period, lawmakers may object to the agreement. If no successful objection is raised, it will enter into force.
To block the agreement, Congress would need to pass a joint resolution with a two-thirds majority, sufficient to override any presidential veto.
