On 22 July 2026, the United States and Saudi Arabia sign the Agreement for Cooperation on the Peaceful Uses of Nuclear Energy (Section 123) — the instrument opening the way for a Saudi civilian nuclear programme with US technology.

Signed by Energy Secretary Chris Wright and Saudi Energy Minister Abdulaziz bin Salman, the deal is set for 30 years and requires US Congressional approval to take full effect.

Negotiations begun under prior administrations and concluded in 2025–2026 sparked debate over uranium enrichment, IAEA safeguards and linkage to Saudi normalisation with Israel.

Critics in Congress and Israel warned of proliferation risks; the US administration stressed the civilian character of the cooperation.

For Gulf energy diplomacy, 22 July 2026 marks the signing of the US–Saudi civilian nuclear agreement.

The official release is published by the US Department of Energy.

The US–Saudi nuclear agreement of 22 July 2026 remains the milestone of Section 123 cooperation between the two states.

Image: Saudi Arabia / energy; Wikimedia Commons. Cropped to 16:9.

Source consulted: 2026 Saudi Arabia-United States nuclear deal. Treaty text: United States and Saudi Arabia Reach Historic Nuclear Cooperation Agreement (DOE).