Trump ties Saudi nuclear deal to normalization with Israel

President Donald Trump conditioned the US-Saudi nuclear civil cooperation agreement on Saudi Arabia normalizing relations with Israel, announcing on July 23 that approval hinges on Riyadh joining the Abraham Accords Source: larepublicaco. The deal, signed a day earlier, allows Saudi Arabia to develop a civilian nuclear program, including potential uranium enrichment Source: abces.

The condition

In a Truth Social post, Trump wrote the agreement "will be approved, but it is totally subject to Saudi Arabia joining the very respected and successful Abraham Accords" Source: mileniomx. The White House confirmed the nuclear pact is null without Saudi adherence Source: larepublicaco. Israel welcomed the move, with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu calling it "a historic breakthrough for peace in the Middle East" Source: diariolibree.

What's at stake

The deal, known as a 123 Agreement, must pass a 90-day congressional review Source: clarin. Critics fear it could trigger a regional arms race. Senator Bernie Sanders wrote: "Trump allows his best friends in Saudi Arabia—one of the most brutal dictatorships in the world—to do precisely that. It's absurd" Source: elmundoes. Russia's Kremlin defended Saudi Arabia's right to peaceful nuclear energy, saying "any state has the right to access atomic energy for peaceful purposes" Source: infobae.

Divergent views on enrichment

Trump insists the agreement "will not include enrichment of material" Source: cnn, but reports indicate Saudi Arabia could build its own enrichment plant Source: infobae. The Wall Street Journal cited a clause allowing US companies to construct a uranium enrichment facility Source: elmundoes. The US Energy Secretary stated the deal maintains "the highest standards of nuclear safety and nonproliferation" Source: cnn.