The United States and Saudi Arabia are set to sign a preliminary agreement to collaborate on Saudi Arabia's plans to establish a civil nuclear industry, according to US Energy Secretary Chris Wright. Speaking in Riyadh and cited by Reuters, Wright mentioned that both countries are on “a pathway” towards an agreement that would support the development of a Saudi civil nuclear program.
During his visit, Wright met with Saudi Energy Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman. He clarified that the discussions did not include a broader arrangement that the previous US administration under President Joe Biden had pursued. That proposal included a civil nuclear agreement and security guarantees aimed at normalizing relations between Saudi Arabia and Israel.
Wright, on his first trip to the kingdom as secretary during a tour of energy-producing Gulf states, stated that more details about the energy cooperation memorandum between Riyadh and Washington would be unveiled later in the year.
“For a US partnership and involvement in nuclear here, there will definitely be a 123 agreement … There are lots of ways to structure a deal that will accomplish both the Saudi objectives and the American objectives,” he explained. This refers to the Section 123 agreement under the US Atomic Energy Act of 1954, which is necessary for US government and companies to collaborate with Saudi entities on a civil nuclear industry.
However, Saudi authorities have yet to agree to the act’s requirements, Wright noted. The act outlines nine non-proliferation criteria that a state must adhere to, ensuring the technology is not used to develop nuclear arms or transfer sensitive materials.
Progress has been challenging because Saudi Arabia has resisted signing an agreement that would preclude the enrichment of uranium or reprocessing of spent fuel—actions that could potentially lead to the development of a nuclear weapon. Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has indicated that if Iran develops a nuclear weapon, Saudi Arabia would pursue one as well. This stance has raised significant concerns among arms control advocates and some US lawmakers regarding a possible US-Saudi civil nuclear deal.
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