US President Donald Trump has tied any nuclear agreement between Washington and Saudi Arabia directly to Riyadh joining the Abraham Accords and recognising Israel.
Brokered by Washington during Mr Trump’s first term, the Abraham Accords were designed to forge closer ties between Israel and the Arab world.
The proposed civilian nuclear program in Saudi Arabia “will be approved, but is totally subject to Saudi Arabia joining the very respected and successful Abraham Accords,” Mr Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform.
Saudi Arabia entered tentative negotiations to normalise relations with Israel in 2023, only to withdraw abruptly after the Gaza war began.
Mr Trump’s statement followed an announcement a day earlier that the US and Saudi Arabia had reached a landmark deal to establish a civilian nuclear program in the kingdom. Critics, however, fear the agreement could open a path to uranium enrichment and trigger an atomic arms race.
The development comes as the US wages war with Iran, a conflict driven in large part by concerns surrounding Tehran’s nuclear program — an issue that remains central to now-stalled peace talks.
The United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Morocco have signed the Abraham Accords, creating diplomatic, economic and security relationships with Israel.
Sudan, a fourth signatory, has yet to formalise relations.
Non-Arab Kazakhstan, which had already recognised Israel, agreed to join the accords last November.
