The United States is expected to announce a landmark agreement with Saudi Arabia on Wednesday that will pave the way for the kingdom to develop a civilian nuclear programme, according to multiple media reports.
The agreement, expected to be signed by the Trump administration and the Saudi government, is projected to generate billions of dollars for the US nuclear industry.
According to reports by The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal, the deal will run for 30 years and could allow American companies to build a uranium enrichment facility in Saudi Arabia if a joint feasibility study determines that such a project is necessary.
The proposed agreement is designed to give US firms a leading role in developing Saudi Arabia’s civilian nuclear infrastructure.
However, the plan has drawn criticism from some US lawmakers across party lines and from Israeli officials, who fear that a civilian nuclear programme could eventually be used to support the development of nuclear weapons.
Although the agreement is expected to be submitted to the US Congress in the coming days, congressional approval will not be required for it to take effect.
The announcement comes at a time of renewed tensions in the Middle East.
Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen have threatened to widen the conflict by imposing a blockade on Saudi ports following renewed hostilities involving the United States and Iran.
Last week, Saudi Arabia and the Houthis exchanged fire for the first time in years, raising concerns that the 2022 ceasefire agreement could collapse.
The Houthis had largely stayed out of the conflict after Israel and the United States launched strikes against Iran earlier this year, but recent developments have heightened fears of a broader regional escalation.
