Media: US weighs sharing uranium enrichment technology with Saudi Arabia

The Trump administration is considering transferring uranium enrichment technology to Saudi Arabia, Bloomberg reports, citing official documentation.

Last month, the White House submitted a three-page report to Congress justifying the need to provide Riyadh with nuclear technology, including potential cooperation in uranium enrichment and plutonium reprocessing. According to the document reviewed by Bloomberg, the deal would serve US security interests and give Washington greater transparency over the kingdom’s nuclear program.

Answering questions about the proposed deal on Capitol Hill on March 25, Thomas DiNanno, assistant secretary of state for arms control and international security, told lawmakers he could not discuss details because the agreement has not yet been signed. 

Asked whether the government is taking sufficient steps to ensure Saudi Arabia does not develop a nuclear weapon, DiNanno said the administration would be “concerned about any nuclear weapons program” outside the framework of the nonproliferation regime.

While the US seeks to share nuclear technology with Saudi Arabia, the current US-Israel military focus stems from Iran’s nuclear program and uranium enrichment activities. 

Washington fears that Iran may soon develop nuclear weapons. Tehran maintains that it complies with the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) and limits uranium enrichment to levels permitted under international law.

By Jeyhun Aghazada