Saudi Arabia must recognize Israel for nuclear deal, says Trump
US President Donald Trump has said Saudi Arabia must formally recognise Israel before it can move forward with a civilian nuclear cooperation agreement with the United States.
Trump made the remarks in a post on Truth Social, saying the proposed agreement would only be approved if Saudi Arabia joins the Abraham Accords and establishes formal diplomatic relations with Israel.
He said the planned agreement is limited to peaceful civilian purposes and does not permit uranium enrichment. Trump’s statement came just days after Washington announced a landmark civilian nuclear cooperation agreement with Saudi Arabia.
Saudi Arabia has not yet responded publicly to Trump’s remarks or commented on the reported condition. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said President Trump has repeatedly conveyed the same condition to Saudi leaders.
She said the agreement would not move forward unless Saudi Arabia officially joins the Abraham Accords. According to the US Department of Energy, the proposed nuclear package includes a peaceful civilian cooperation agreement that will be submitted to the US Congress for review.
Also Read: Iran rejects US ceasefire offer over Strait of Hormuz dispute
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) also confirmed that it is aware of the planned US-Saudi civilian nuclear cooperation agreement and the preparations to implement international verification measures.
The development has drawn global attention because it links future nuclear cooperation to broader diplomatic efforts in the Middle East and the normalisation of relations between Saudi Arabia and Israel.
