Saudis must recognise Israel for nuclear deal, says Trump - BBC

What the report says

BBC News reports that US President Donald Trump has said a proposed civil nuclear cooperation deal with Saudi Arabia will depend on Riyadh recognising Israel by joining the Abraham Accords. In a Truth Social post, Trump said the agreement would cover non-military nuclear energy and would not allow uranium enrichment, while adding that approval was “totally subject” to Saudi participation in the accords.

According to the BBC, the text of the nuclear agreement has not been made public, and it remains unclear whether the recognition condition is written into the deal or accepted by Saudi Arabia. Riyadh had not responded to Trump’s remarks at the time of the report. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said Trump had raised the issue with Saudi leaders before and that the deal would not proceed if they refused to join the accords.

The US Department of Energy described the package as including a peaceful nuclear cooperation agreement and safeguards framework, saying it would create the legal basis for a long-term partnership and be submitted to Congress for review. The International Atomic Energy Agency said it was aware of US-Saudi plans and expected to work on verification measures if asked. Some experts and lawmakers have raised proliferation concerns, especially over whether Saudi Arabia could ever enrich uranium.

The issue is significant because Saudi recognition of Israel would mark a major expansion of the Abraham Accords, first signed during Trump’s earlier presidency by the UAE and Bahrain. Saudi Arabia has previously linked normalisation to the creation of a Palestinian state. Israel welcomed Trump’s statement, while critics warned that civilian nuclear programmes can create future security risks.