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
North Korea fired about 10 short-range ballistic missiles toward its eastern waters Thursday, South Korea’s military said, a sharp show of force just one day after Pyongyang dismissed President Donald Trump’s decision to scale back U.S.–South Korea military drills.
The Pentagon has ordered 30 American colleges and universities to audit foreign research partnerships and cut off any arrangements deemed a threat to U.S. national security, with officials warning that schools could lose federal research funding if they fail to comply.
The U.S. military’s heavy use of Tomahawk cruise missiles during the conflict with Iran is sharpening concerns in Washington over America’s ability to sustain long-range precision warfare while also preparing for future threats.
Israel has warned Syria not to allow Turkey to establish a deeper military foothold inside the country, escalating a growing diplomatic confrontation between Jerusalem and Ankara after an Israeli strike on the Abu al-Duhur military air base in northern Syria.
The USS George Washington aircraft carrier is now operating in the Middle East, U.S. Central Command said Thursday, marking a major carrier rotation as the USS Abraham Lincoln prepares to end one of the Navy’s most punishing recent deployments.
The death toll from the collapse of an artisanal gold mine in western Central African Republic has risen to more than 100, with others still missing or trapped beneath rubble, underscoring broader concerns about safety risks faced by miners across the region, rescue workers and local officials said.
Ukrainian authorities said Thursday at least 16 people were killed and about 40 injured in massive overnight Russian drone and missile strikes on Kyiv and the wider region, while neighboring countries were placed on high alert amid reports of drones entering or approaching their territory.