Trump puts US-Saudi nuclear deal on hold:Move within 24 hours of signing, says Riyadh must normalise ties with Israel

The US-Saudi Arabia civil nuclear agreement, signed on Wednesday after nearly two decades of negotiations, has run into uncertainty within 24 hours after US President Donald Trump imposed fresh conditions for its implementation. Trump said the deal would move forward only if Saudi Arabia joins the Abraham Accords and establishes diplomatic relations with Israel. He also made it clear that the kingdom would not be allowed to enrich uranium on its own soil. The agreement was signed in Washington in the presence of US Energy Secretary Chris Wright. Trump reportedly upset over deal announcement According to media reports, Trump was angered after Energy Secretary Chris Wright announced the agreement without his prior approval. His displeasure reportedly grew after the deal drew criticism on Fox News and in The Wall Street Journal. Reports said the White House had instructed the Department of Energy to postpone the announcement. However, the department proceeded with the signing ceremony and informed the media. The White House later maintained that linking the nuclear agreement to the Abraham Accords had always been part of Trump’s policy, while the Department of Energy denied any disagreement with the administration. Saudi Arabia surprised by Trump’s new condition According to CNN, Saudi Arabia was also caught off guard by Trump’s announcement. The negotiated draft agreement reportedly allowed Saudi Arabia to enrich uranium under strict conditions, but Trump publicly rejected that provision. The two countries have been discussing civil nuclear cooperation for nearly two decades. A preliminary agreement was reached in October last year, but the deal was delayed for months because of the Iran conflict and concerns over possible objections in the US Congress. Last week, the Department of Energy believed it had secured Trump’s approval and moved ahead with the announcement. Experts raise concerns over nuclear safeguards Nuclear experts have expressed concern over the reported uranium enrichment provision and the absence of additional safeguards from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). Supporters of the agreement, however, argue that if Washington withdraws from the deal, Saudi Arabia could turn to China or Russia for nuclear cooperation, strengthening their strategic influence in West Asia. What are the Abraham Accords? The Abraham Accords are a US-brokered diplomatic initiative launched in 2020 to normalise relations between Israel and Arab nations. Under the agreement, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Morocco and Sudan established diplomatic ties with Israel. Trump now wants Saudi Arabia to join the accords, arguing that Riyadh’s participation would strengthen the US-led strategic alliance in West Asia. The Biden administration had also pursued a similar approach by linking the Saudi nuclear agreement with normalisation of ties between Saudi Arabia and Israel. However, the process stalled after the Hamas attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, and the subsequent war in Gaza. Saudi Arabia has repeatedly said it will not establish official diplomatic relations with Israel unless there is a clear pathway towards the creation of an independent Palestinian state. Why does Trump oppose Uranium Enrichment? Uranium enrichment is required to produce fuel for civilian nuclear power plants. However, if uranium is enriched to much higher levels, it can also be used to manufacture nuclear weapons. For this reason, uranium enrichment is considered one of the world’s most sensitive nuclear technologies. The United States has traditionally opposed allowing countries to develop domestic uranium enrichment capabilities due to concerns that the technology could eventually be diverted for military purposes. Trump has cited these proliferation risks while making it clear that although the US is willing to cooperate with Saudi Arabia on civilian nuclear energy, it will not permit the kingdom to enrich uranium on its own soil.