The world’s next nuclear power may surprise you

Washington’s deal with Riyadh could lay the foundations for the region’s next atomic state The US and Saudi Arabia have signed a cooperation agreement on the peaceful uses of nuclear energy, which creates a legal basis for the participation of American companies in the development of the Saudi nuclear program. The document, known as a Section 123 Agreement, was signed by US Secretary of Energy Chris Wright and Saudi Arabian Energy Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman. The parties also signed an accompanying bilateral safeguards agreement, ensuring that the transferred technologies and materials will be used exclusively for peaceful purposes.Although the agreement has been signed, it is not yet in full effect and must undergo the congressional review process under US law. Such documents are subject to approximately 90-day congressional deliberations, during which legislators can attempt to block the agreement. Therefore, this agreement is considered signed but not yet fully implemented.Negotiations on the main provisions were completed in the fall of 2025. On November 18, 2025, the US Department of Energy officially announced the signing of a joint declaration, formalizing the compl...