US and Saudi Arabia Sign Nuclear Cooperation Agreement as Iran Conflict Continues

The United States and Saudi Arabia signed a nuclear cooperation agreement on July 22, 2026, that authorizes a joint study on potential uranium enrichment facilities under International Atomic Energy Agency safeguards. The pact comes as the Trump administration maintains its policy of opposing uranium enrichment by Iran while conducting military operations against Iranian targets.

The agreement follows the framework of prior US nuclear cooperation pacts, including the 2009 arrangement with the United Arab Emirates. It permits examination of enrichment and reprocessing options but does not authorize immediate construction or operation of such facilities. Saudi Arabia remains a party to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, which requires IAEA inspections of declared nuclear sites.

President Trump has stated that Iran should not enrich uranium, a position he reiterated in April 2026. After the United States withdrew from the 2015 nuclear agreement in 2018, Iran increased its enrichment activities to levels approaching weapons-grade material. Following airstrikes by Israel and the United States beginning in June 2025, Iran restricted access for some IAEA inspectors at certain locations.

The Saudi agreement allows for a study phase rather than immediate transfer of enrichment technology. Administration officials have indicated that any future facilities would operate under IAEA monitoring. Critics have argued that the terms could prove less restrictive than those applied to the UAE in 2009, which prohibited enrichment on Emirati territory.

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman stated in 2018 that the kingdom would pursue nuclear weapons if Iran acquired them. The new agreement does not include a requirement that Saudi Arabia establish diplomatic relations with Israel, a condition present in earlier drafts of the deal.

The nuclear talks occur against the backdrop of ongoing US and Israeli military strikes on Iran. Those operations began after Iran expanded enrichment activities and followed disputes over the status of the Strait of Hormuz. Iran closed the strait to certain shipping after the initial airstrikes; the waterway had remained open prior to June 2025. The Trump administration has linked continued operations to reopening the strait and has proposed that Iran pay transit fees after a 60-day period under a memorandum of understanding.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth reported that operations through mid-2026 have cost $37.5 billion, with a requested total of $67.1 billion. Administration officials have cited both nuclear concerns and freedom of navigation as objectives. Iran has described its actions as responses to the airstrikes and has maintained that its enrichment program remains peaceful.

The agreement with Saudi Arabia is projected to support potential reactor sales by US companies valued in the tens of billions of dollars. Trump has described the arrangement as advancing commercial and security interests in the region. Saudi officials have sought security assurances from the United States amid heightened tensions with Iran.

Congress is considering additional funding for the military campaign. Some lawmakers have questioned the scope and duration of operations, noting that the administration initiated strikes without prior congressional authorization. The administration has stated that the campaign addresses both nuclear proliferation risks and threats to maritime traffic in the Gulf.

The Saudi nuclear study remains in its initial phase, with no enrichment facilities approved or under construction. IAEA safeguards would apply to any declared activities, though the agreement permits discussion of inspection protocols for sensitive sites. Iran continues to face restrictions on enrichment under the administration’s stated policy, while the military confrontation over the strait persists.