Published : 26 Sep 2026, 11:39 PM
Updated : 26 Sep 2026, 11:39 PM
US intelligence agencies have assessed that Saudi Arabia has not ruled out developing a nuclear weapons programme, raising fresh questions about a proposed deal to help Riyadh build a civilian nuclear industry.
The finding, drawn from classified documents shared with Congress and described to The Washington Post by American officials, stops short of saying the kingdom has decided to build a bomb.
Lawmakers, however, fear the deal could hand Riyadh the means to produce weapons-grade nuclear material.
The agreement, announced in July, would allow US companies to pursue nuclear energy projects in Saudi Arabia.
The Donald Trump administration says the partnership will strengthen ties with Riyadh, uphold non-proliferation standards and reduce the prospect of the kingdom turning to Russia or China for nuclear technology.
But Democratic lawmakers say the deal’s restrictions do not go far enough.
Under the agreement, Saudi uranium enrichment would initially be limited to less than five percent, but that ceiling could rise to 20 percent following a further study and written agreement, the American daily reported.
The agreement also does not require Saudi Arabia to adopt the International Atomic Energy Agency’s Additional Protocol, which would give inspectors broader access to nuclear sites and information.
In a letter to Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Friday, senators led by Ed Markey and Jeff Merkley accused the administration of accepting weaker safeguards that could enable Riyadh to acquire uranium-enrichment capabilities.
Their concerns have been sharpened by the intelligence assessment, which officials said was among classified material sent to Congress last month.
The state department’s contribution to the documents appeared more confident in the deal’s safeguards and Saudi assurances, the officials told The Washington Post.
Saudi Arabia did not directly answer The Washington Post’s questions. Instead, it referred to an earlier statement by Energy Minister Abdulaziz bin Salman saying the kingdom’s nuclear programme would be peaceful and pursued with responsibility and transparency.
The department said the US “does not and will not support a Saudi nuclear weapon programme”.
Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman said in 2018 that Saudi Arabia would seek a nuclear weapon if Iran developed one. The conditional statement has long fuelled concerns that an Iranian bomb could trigger a regional arms race.
Congress is reviewing the agreement and could move to block it, although opponents would need sufficient votes to overcome a possible presidential veto.
The future of the agreement may also depend on diplomacy over Israel.
A senior US administration official told The Washington Post that Saudi normalisation with Israel remains a condition of the deal, while analysts said Riyadh is unlikely to take that step as long as Israel rules out a Palestinian state.
