Saudi nuclear deal contingent on Israel recognition: Trump

Former US President Donald Trump has presented a proposed civilian nuclear energy agreement between the United States and Saudi Arabia to Congress for review. However, he has made it clear that the deal's progression is contingent upon Riyadh establishing diplomatic relations with Israel.

An administration official confirmed that the confidential document was submitted to Congress on Monday, adhering to the Atomic Energy Act. The agreement itself was signed in Washington last month by US Energy Secretary Chris Wright and his Saudi counterpart. The following day, Trump publicly announced his condition that Saudi Arabia must normalize ties with Israel, suggesting the Abraham Accords as a potential pathway.

It remains unclear whether Trump's demand for Saudi Arabia's participation in the Abraham Accords is explicitly detailed within the confidential document submitted for congressional review. U.S. law grants Congress a 90-day period during its session to scrutinize such agreements. Historically, previous "123 Agreements" for civilian nuclear cooperation with other nations have largely been made public, though some may contain classified annexes.

The Saudi Embassy in Washington has not yet issued an official comment regarding this development. The implications of this condition could significantly shape the future of US-Saudi nuclear cooperation and regional diplomatic realignments.