by Emmitt Barry, Worthy News Correspondent
(Worthy News) — U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright said Sunday in Riyadh that the U.S. is close to a landmark energy deal with Saudi Arabia to develop its civil nuclear industry, with a preliminary agreement expected soon.
Wright confirmed that the U.S. plans to sign a broad energy cooperation agreement within weeks, with a nuclear deal expected in the coming months.
“I think in the short run, we’ll sign a broader agreement about cooperation across the energy space, in partnerships, in investments, in investigations. Nuclear is certainly one of those areas,” Wright told Al-Arabiya News.
“To get a specific agreement to partner on commercial nuclear development in Saudi Arabia, that’ll take a little bit longer, that’ll be months, not weeks, but you’re gonna get there. I think it’s likely,” he added.
Wright noted that Saudi Arabia has yet to accept the non-proliferation conditions required under the U.S. Atomic Energy Act, which includes nine safeguards to prevent nuclear weapons development or material transfer.
“For a U.S. partnership and involvement in nuclear here, there will definitely be a 123 agreement … there’s lots of ways to structure a deal that will accomplish both the Saudi objectives and the American objectives,” he said.
A 123 agreement with Riyadh refers to Section 123 of the U.S. Atomic Energy Act of 1954, which is required for the U.S. government and American companies to collaborate with Saudi entities on developing a civil nuclear industry.
In the past, talks had stalled over Riyadh’s refusal to rule out uranium enrichment or fuel reprocessing—key steps toward a bomb.
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has said that if Iran acquires a nuclear weapon, Saudi Arabia would pursue one as well, raising concerns among arms control advocates and some U.S. lawmakers about a potential civil nuclear deal.
Copyright 1999-2026 Worthy News. This article was originally published on Worthy News and was reproduced with permission.
Latest News from Worthy News
Proposed tariffs on imports from 60 economies could raise nearly $970 billion over the next decade, according to estimates released Monday by the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget.
The House of Representatives advanced a $72 billion border security funding bill Tuesday, moving President Donald Trump’s immigration enforcement agenda one step closer to becoming law.
President Donald Trump said Tuesday that Iran shot down a U.S. Army AH-64 Apache helicopter near the Strait of Hormuz, vowing that the United States would respond to what he described as a direct attack on American forces.
Russian attacks killed at least three people in northeastern Ukraine and damaged a spent nuclear fuel storage facility near the site of the world’s worst nuclear disaster, Ukrainian officials said Tuesday.
Hungary’s anti-corruption watchdog chief said Monday that corruption and alleged procurement abuses during the 16 years of rule by former Prime Minister Viktor Orbán may have cost the country as much as 60 trillion forints ($194 billion).
Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan claimed victory Monday after parliamentary elections seen as a key test of Russia’s influence in the South Caucasus nation and one of the world’s oldest Christian countries.
Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti urged rival parties Monday to help end 18 months of political deadlock after his Vetevendosje party won parliamentary elections but failed to secure enough support to govern alone.