New Delhi: According to latest reports, the US plans to introduce a 123 Agreement under the Atomic Energy Act of 1954. This framework allows Washington to share civil nuclear technology and support Saudi Arabia in developing power generation projects. However, this specific pact visibly excludes the so called Gold Standard, a strict condition that explicitly bans uranium enrichment and the reprocessing of spent nuclear fuel. Furthermore, it bypasses the Additional Protocol of the International Atomic Energy Agency, which usually grants the United Nations watchdog advanced monitoring rights over a country’s nuclear facilities.
This leniency has alarmed global security experts, especially given the geopolitical context of the Middle East. The situation brings renewed attention to a 2018 statement by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, where he explicitly warned that if Iran develops a nuclear weapon, the Kingdom would follow suit as quickly as possible. Riyadh has consistently maintained that it wants to retain the right to enrich uranium domestically, refusing to accept a complete ban on the technology.
Sources suggest the administration could present the agreement to the US Congress as early as this week. The proposal is already anticipating significant bipartisan pushback. Several Democratic lawmakers and key Republicans argue that any nuclear pact with Riyadh must include rigorous security provisions. Notably, current Secretary of State Marco Rubio had heavily advocated for such strict conditional safeguards during his previous tenure as a senator.
While this strategic partnership will undoubtedly strengthen diplomatic and economic relations between the US and Saudi Arabia, it risks triggering a complex arms race in the region. By relaxing nonproliferation rules for Riyadh while heavily sanctioning Tehran for similar uranium enrichment activities, Washington might unintentionally push Iran to accelerate its own nuclear program, leaving the Middle East more vulnerable to instability.