Kathmandu— US President Donald Trump has reportedly sent a landmark nuclear cooperation agreement between the United States and Saudi Arabia to Congress for review, while simultaneously renewing calls for Riyadh to normalize relations with Israel as a condition of the deal. The document was submitted on Monday, according to multiple US media reports citing unnamed administration and congressional sources; the White House has not yet publicly confirmed the submission. Lawmakers have 90 session days to consider the pact, which aims to facilitate American involvement in Saudi Arabia’s civilian nuclear energy program, but the president is expected to use his veto power if they attempt to block it.

Deal Details and Potential Value

The US-Saudi agreement, signed last month, would allow American companies to play a significant role in developing Saudi Arabia's civilian nuclear capabilities. The 30-year deal is anticipated to involve the construction of US-designed nuclear reactors within Saudi Arabia and could be worth tens of billions of dollars. Riyadh has stated its intention to utilize nuclear power to meet increasing domestic energy demands, reduce reliance on oil for internal consumption, and increase crude oil exports.

Proliferation Concerns

The agreement has sparked concerns regarding the potential for nuclear proliferation. Unlike a similar US deal with the United Arab Emirates, this pact does not include a permanent prohibition against Saudi Arabia reprocessing nuclear fuel or enrichment – processes that could potentially be used to develop weapons. Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman previously indicated that his kingdom might pursue nuclear weapons if Iran were to acquire them.

Linkage to Israeli Relations

President Trump has explicitly linked the nuclear agreement to Saudi Arabia formally joining the Abraham Accords and establishing diplomatic relations with Israel, a condition he announced unexpectedly after the deal had already been negotiated and signed. An administration official confirmed on Wednesday that Trump’s position on this matter remains unchanged. The Abraham Accords, brokered during Trump's first term, normalized relations between Israel and several Arab nations including the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, and Morocco.

Stalled Normalization Efforts

The US has been actively pushing for Saudi-Israeli normalization; however, these efforts have stalled following the outbreak of the Gaza war in 2023. Saudi Arabia has consistently maintained that it will not normalize relations with Israel unless there is a clear and irreversible path towards the establishment of a Palestinian state.

The agreement now enters a period of congressional review, where lawmakers could attempt to block its implementation, though such an effort would likely be met with a presidential veto.

(With inputs from RT)

Originally published on abcnews.com.np.