The United States and Saudi Arabia are expected to announce a deal allowing the Gulf kingdom to develop a civilian nuclear program, according to US media reports. The announcement could come as early as Wednesday from the Trump administration.

The agreement would reportedly permit Saudi Arabia to enrich uranium on its soil, a provision that distinguishes it from a 2009 US-UAE deal that barred enrichment. This has raised concerns among nuclear non-proliferation advocates and Israeli officials, who fear it could pave the way for a Saudi nuclear weapon.

The deal, which could be worth billions of dollars to US companies, is said to last 30 years. It has already been approved by President Trump and will now be sent to Congress, where some lawmakers are expected to oppose it despite Republican control.

Notably, the agreement is not contingent on Saudi Arabia normalizing diplomatic ties with Israel, a longstanding US foreign policy goal. This marks a shift in approach by the Trump administration.

Critics argue that allowing Saudi enrichment undermines non-proliferation efforts, especially given Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman's 2018 statement that the kingdom would pursue nuclear weapons if Iran did. The deal comes amid heightened US-Israeli tensions with Iran over its nuclear program.

Source: www.bbc.co.uk