Saudi Arabia-US Sign Nuclear Cooperation Agreement

Saudi Arabia and the United States (US) signed a cooperation agreement for the peaceful use of nuclear energy on Wednesday, July 22 local time.

Citing AFP, the deal, named the "123 agreement", was signed by Saudi Energy Minister Abdulaziz bin Salman and US Energy Secretary Chris Wright.

The Saudi Ministry of Energy said the agreement was necessary for Washington to be able to engage in nuclear cooperation with other countries. The Donald Trump administration described the deal as a "bilateral security agreement."

The Saudi Ministry of Energy in a statement quoted from AN said the agreement was built on a historic Saudi-US strategic partnership following the arrival of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to the US in November 2025 resulting in the completion of bilateral negotiations on cooperation in the peaceful use of nuclear energy.

According to the ministry, the agreement will "strengthen cooperation between the two countries in the field of energy and advanced technology."

The Ministry of Energy of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia explained that this was to facilitate the exchange of expertise, knowledge, and technology, and also aimed to contribute to efforts to ensure the highest international standards for nuclear safety, nuclear security, and non-proliferation.

"These agreements reflect the shared commitment of our two countries to strengthen the US-Saudi Arabian trade relationship, create prosperity at home and security for our allies abroad," Wright said in a statement.