US President Donald Trump has cast uncertainty over a newly signed civilian nuclear cooperation agreement with Saudi Arabia, declaring that its approval hinges on Riyadh joining the Abraham Accords and formally recognising Israel.
Writing on social media platform X a day after the deal was signed, Trump stated that “the Civil Nuclear Deal will be approved, but is totally subject to Saudi Arabia joining the very respected and successful Abraham Accords,” adding that the arrangement would not include uranium enrichment and would involve only non-military use, according to the South China Morning Post.
The condition introduces a significant obstacle to an agreement that had been presented as a landmark step in US-Saudi relations. The 2020 Abraham Accords, brokered during Trump’s first term, normalised relations between Israel and several Arab states, but Saudi Arabia has so far declined to follow suit, citing the need for progress toward a Palestinian state.
The BBC reported that the nuclear pact represents a bold departure from longstanding US policy, jettisoning demands that Washington had historically insisted upon in nuclear negotiations with foreign partners. The move has drawn criticism both within the United States and in Israel, where officials have expressed concern over the security implications of a nuclear-capable Saudi Arabia.
Analysts cited by Al Jazeera have warned that the agreement could accelerate a nuclear arms race across the Middle East, where regional rivalries and unresolved conflicts continue to fuel instability. Concerns center on the precedent set by expanding civilian nuclear capabilities in a volatile region, even where deals are framed as strictly non-military.
The BBC’s Sarah Smith noted that the cooperation agreement carries wide-ranging implications for the balance of power in the Gulf and for Washington’s broader diplomatic strategy. The deal’s dependence on normalisation with Israel effectively links two of the most sensitive files in Middle Eastern diplomacy.
Saudi Arabia has repeatedly stated that recognition of Israel would require tangible steps toward Palestinian statehood, a position that has hardened amid regional tensions. It remains unclear whether Riyadh will accept the linkage now attached to the nuclear agreement.
The coming weeks are expected to test whether the two governments can reconcile the competing demands, with the future of the civilian nuclear programme and the prospect of a historic diplomatic realignment both hanging in the balance.