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Home / Nuclear weapons / U.S. signs landmark nuclear deal with Saudi Arabia that could pave the way for domestic nuclear enrichment
Nuclear weapons, Middle East

July 23, 2026

U.S. signs landmark nuclear deal with Saudi Arabia that could pave the way for domestic nuclear enrichment

Before the deal was announced, Rosemary Kelanic, the head of the Middle East programme at Defense Priorities, warned in a social media post: “Giving Saudi Arabia uranium enrichment technology is a terrible idea on many counts. But it’s especially idiotic to do it *in the middle of a war over Iran’s nuclear programme*.”

She described the decision as reckless and not in the U.S. national interest. “Saudi enrichment would put immense pressure on Iran to get the bomb. Is Trump TRYING to provoke Iran into weaponising?”

Read at The Guardian

Featuring

Rosemary
Kelanic

Director, Middle East Program

Defense Priorities

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