Washington: The United States has approved a landmark 30-year civil nuclear cooperation agreement with Saudi Arabia, marking a significant strategic development in the Gulf even as Washington continues to intensify military and economic pressure on Iran over its nuclear programme.
According to reports, US President Donald Trump has approved the agreement, which is expected to pave the way for deeper cooperation between the two countries on civilian nuclear energy.
The deal, reportedly worth tens of billions of dollars, could be formally announced in the coming days before being sent to the US Congress for approval.
Under the proposed agreement, Saudi Arabia would be allowed to advance its civilian nuclear programme, including the possibility of developing a domestic uranium enrichment capability. The proposal also includes a joint US-Saudi feasibility study on establishing a uranium enrichment facility inside the kingdom, with American companies expected to play a central role in the country's long-term nuclear energy plans.
The agreement has triggered debate in Washington and among non-proliferation experts, who argue that permitting uranium enrichment could provide Saudi Arabia with a future pathway to developing nuclear weapons capability if regional security conditions deteriorate.
The proposed deal is also reported to differ significantly from the earlier US-UAE civil nuclear agreement, under which Abu Dhabi agreed not to pursue uranium enrichment or spent fuel reprocessing, setting what was widely regarded as a stricter non-proliferation standard.
The reported absence of the International Atomic Energy Agency's (IAEA) Additional Protocol—an enhanced inspection mechanism—from the proposed agreement is also expected to draw scrutiny from US lawmakers when the deal reaches Congress.
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The development comes against the backdrop of continuing US efforts to curb Iran's nuclear programme through sanctions and military pressure. The contrasting approaches towards Saudi Arabia and Iran have reignited debate over whether Washington is applying different standards to nuclear programmes in the Gulf.
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has previously stated that the kingdom would seek to match Iran's nuclear capabilities if Tehran were to acquire a nuclear weapon, making the issue particularly sensitive amid heightened regional tensions.
Meanwhile, tensions between the United States and Iran continue to escalate, with reports of fresh missile and drone attacks targeting US-linked military facilities across the region.
Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has claimed responsibility for what it describes as the second phase of "Operation Nasser," a sustained campaign targeting US military infrastructure, including radar installations, command centres, logistics hubs and air bases across the Gulf.
Reports indicate that explosions were heard near Erbil in Iraq, while air raid sirens were activated in Bahrain following reports of incoming projectiles. Bahrain's defence authorities said air defence systems intercepted multiple missiles and advised residents to avoid any suspicious debris from intercepted projectiles.
Jordan also confirmed intercepting several drones entering its airspace, with officials stating that no casualties or damage were reported.
Iranian state media has described the strikes as retaliation for sustained US military action against Iran, while the IRGC has claimed that the attacks are intended to degrade American air defence systems and military infrastructure across the region.
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According to official US military casualty figures cited in reports, 427 American service members have been injured and 17 troops killed in incidents linked to the ongoing confrontation since late February.
The twin developments—the proposed US-Saudi nuclear agreement and the escalating military confrontation between Washington and Tehran—underscore the rapidly evolving security landscape in the Middle East, with concerns mounting over nuclear proliferation and the widening regional conflict.
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