Saudi Arabia Nuclear Deal Under US Scrutiny After Intelligence Assessment Raises Weapons Concerns

Washington, September 27: Recent intelligence assessments have raised concerns in Congress about potential nuclear weapons development in Saudi Arabia, intensifying scrutiny of President Donald Trump's civilian nuclear cooperation agreement with the kingdom. The classified US intelligence assessment, provided to Congress last month, has not been made public, though US officials have confirmed its contents to The Washington Post.

The State Department maintains that the agreement does not support a nuclear weapons program in Saudi Arabia and asserts that it incorporates the most stringent non-proliferation standards diplomatically feasible. However, lawmakers are raising questions about the agreement's provisions, particularly regarding Saudi Arabia's adherence to the IAEA Additional Protocol, which would grant enhanced inspections of nuclear facilities.

Senators Edward Markey and Jeff Merkley, along with four other Democratic colleagues, have written to Secretary of State Marco Rubio, urging the administration to abandon the deal in favor of stricter non-proliferation standards. The agreement permits US companies to invest billions in Saudi nuclear energy projects but initially limits uranium enrichment to below 5 percent, with the possibility of increasing it to 20 percent in the future.

While 20 percent enrichment is below weapons-grade levels, experts warn it significantly reduces the technical complexity of producing nuclear weapons material.