Washington (HRNW)- A classified US intelligence assessment provided to Congress reportedly concludes that Saudi Arabia has not ruled out the option of developing a nuclear weapons programme, according to US officials cited by The Washington Post. The assessment does not indicate that Riyadh has made a decision to build a nuclear weapon.
The intelligence assessment has emerged as Congress reviews a US-Saudi civil nuclear cooperation agreement signed in July. The agreement provides a framework for American companies to participate in Saudi Arabia’s civilian nuclear projects and could allow a pathway toward domestic uranium enrichment under certain conditions.
Under the agreement, Saudi enrichment would initially be limited to below 5 percent, while a subsequent study and written agreement could potentially permit enrichment to 20 percent. Uranium enriched to 20 percent remains below weapons-grade levels, although nuclear non-proliferation experts note that enrichment capability can also be used in a weapons programme.
The US State Department has maintained that Washington does not and will not support a Saudi nuclear weapons programme and has expressed confidence in the safeguards and non-proliferation provisions associated with the agreement. Saudi Energy Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman has likewise said the kingdom’s nuclear programme is intended for peaceful civilian purposes.
The intelligence assessment has nevertheless increased scrutiny among US lawmakers, some of whom have raised concerns that expanded Saudi access to uranium enrichment and spent-fuel reprocessing could create additional proliferation risks in the Middle East.
Congress is currently reviewing the nuclear cooperation agreement, while lawmakers have also questioned the administration’s decision to classify certain side letters connected to the deal. A 90-day congressional review period is underway following the agreement’s submission to Congress.
The development comes amid heightened regional tensions and broader debates over nuclear proliferation, with US officials and lawmakers examining whether the safeguards accompanying the agreement are sufficient to ensure that Saudi Arabia’s civilian nuclear programme remains exclusively peaceful.
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