International media revealed that Donald Trump approved a nuclear cooperation agreement with Saudi Arabia that would allow the kingdom to develop capacity to enrich uranium as part of its civil nuclear energy program, a decision that has generated strong questions among international security experts due to its possible implications for the strategic balance in the Middle East.

According to information published by The Guardian and international agencies, Trump will ask Congress to approve the so-called “123 Agreement”, a mechanism provided for by US legislation to authorize nuclear cooperation with other countries. The agreement would be valid for 30 years and would include the participation of American companies, including Westinghouse, in the development of the Saudi nuclear program.

The announcement comes at a particularly delicate time. Washington has maintained that one of the central objectives of its confrontation with Iran has been to prevent Tehran from retaining the ability to enrich uranium, considering that this technology can facilitate the manufacture of nuclear weapons.

Although uranium enrichment also has civil applications for electricity generation, the same infrastructure can be used to produce fissile material for military purposes if it reaches levels close to 90% purity, according to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).

The agreement contemplates the possibility of building a uranium enrichment plant in Saudi territory, after carrying out joint studies between both countries. However, unlike the nuclear deal signed with Iran in 2015, it is not expected to include mandatory accession to the IAEA's Additional Protocol, a mechanism that allows much more intrusive international inspections to verify that nuclear programs are exclusively for peaceful purposes.

The initiative could face resistance on Capitol Hill. Under the US Atomic Energy Act, Congress has the power to review and even block so-called 123 Agreements, especially when there are questions about nonproliferation guarantees. Lawmakers from both parties have previously expressed concern about granting Riyadh sensitive technologies that could be used to develop a military nuclear program in the future.

Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has for years defended the development of nuclear energy to diversify the Saudi economy and reduce dependence on oil, as part of the Vision 2030 plan. However, he has also left open the possibility of responding militarily if Iran were to develop a nuclear weapon.

While some analysts argue that allowing a civilian nuclear program under US supervision would prevent Riyadh from turning to suppliers such as China or Russia, it would also strengthen Washington's influence in the global nuclear energy market.

However, in the context of Iran, the eventual approval of Saudi Arabia would represent a strong political argument. During pre-war negotiations, Washington had demanded that Tehran suspend uranium enrichment in its territory for up to two decades, while now it would be willing to allow its main regional rival to acquire precisely that capacity, a difference that is expected to intensify diplomatic tensions in one of the most sensitive regions in the world.