US President Donald Trump announced that a prospective nuclear deal between the United States and Saudi Arabia is strictly conditional upon Riyadh normalizing diplomatic relations with Israel, according to a statement published on Truth Social.
Nuclear Deal Terms Tied to Abraham Accords Accession
According to US President Donald Trump, any finalized pact enabling Saudi Arabia to develop a civilian atomic energy program will depend entirely on formalizing ties with Israel. Writing on his social media channel Truth Social, Trump stated that “the deal will be approved, but that is entirely dependent on Saudi Arabia joining the highly respected and successful Abraham Accords,” as reported by NOS Nieuws.
The Abraham Accords currently include four Arab nations that officially recognize Israel: the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Sudan, and Morocco. Saudi Arabia has not yet joined the pact. During earlier negotiations, Riyadh consistently maintained the condition that a Palestinian state must be established before normalization could proceed, a stance that sets the current talks apart from previous signees.
Did you know?
The Abraham Accords were signed by four Arab nations that now formally recognize Israel as a country.
Precedent from the Biden Administration
The normalization prerequisite is not new to bilateral discussions between Washington and Riyadh. During the presidency of Joe Biden, the condition was also that Saudi Arabia normalize relations with Israel as part of any framework for advanced civil nuclear cooperation, according to diplomatic tracking reported by NOS Nieuws.
While Saudi Arabia has not yet issued a direct response to Trump’s public remarks, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu welcomed the linkage. Netanyahu stated that Saudi participation would represent “a fantastic leap forward for peace in the Middle East,” according to verified coverage from NOS Nieuws.
Technical Scope of the Proposed Saudi Nuclear Program
The exact contours of the nuclear agreement remain under negotiation, though the resulting framework is expected to run for 30 years. Under the anticipated arrangement, American corporations would supply technology and operational expertise to construct a domestic atomic energy infrastructure.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed that the US continues to hold discussions with Saudi Arabia to formalize the deal “and hopefully they will join the Abraham Accords soon,” as cited by NOS Nieuws. Leavitt noted that while Trump has not spoken directly with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman since his Truth Social post, the normalization requirement was previously raised during direct talks.
Pro Tip for Readers Tracking Middle East Diplomacy
Discussions have historically included the possibility of domestic uranium enrichment within the Kingdom. However, Trump asserted on Truth Social that “there will be no enrichment of material” and that Saudi Arabia will not develop nuclear weapons, drawing a strict boundary on the technological limits of the proposed energy pact.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the conditions for the US-Saudi nuclear deal?
According to US President Donald Trump, the nuclear deal is entirely dependent on Saudi Arabia joining the Abraham Accords and normalizing relations with Israel.
Have the details of the nuclear agreement been finalized?
No. While discussions are ongoing between US and Saudi officials, the final terms—including the exact structure of the 30-year energy cooperation and safeguards regarding uranium enrichment—have not yet been signed.
How has Israel responded to the condition?
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called the potential Saudi accession to the Abraham Accords a “fantastic leap forward for peace in the Middle East,” according to reports by NOS Nieuws.
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