U.S.-Saudi Nuclear Deal May Allow Uranium Enrichment on Saudi Soil

The U.S. and Saudi Arabia announced a civil nuclear cooperation agreement on July 22, 2026. U.S. firms could build a uranium-enrichment facility inside Saudi Arabia pending a joint study — a break from the "gold standard" nonproliferation terms set by the U.S.-UAE 123 agreement. Congress now reviews the deal under a high legislative bar to block it.