Tangent
Saudi Arabia nuclear deal talks have been ongoing for years, with the Biden administration linking it to normalization of ties between the kingdom and Israel—which were sidetracked following the October 7 Hamas attacks and Israel’s subsequent occupation of Gaza. According to the Journal, Trump has delinked the two issues and is pursuing a nuclear deal with Saudi Arabia separate from his administration’s push to get Saudi Arabia to join the Abraham Accords.
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What Has The Saudi Leader Said About Nuclear Weapons?
Saudi Crown Prince and de facto leader Mohammad Bin Salman has repeatedly stated that his country will acquire a nuclear weapon the moment Iran does so. In a 2018 interview with CBS News, Bin Salman said: “Saudi Arabia does not want to acquire any nuclear bomb, but without a doubt, if Iran developed a nuclear bomb, we will follow suit as soon as possible.” Salman was asked about Iran potentially acquiring nuclear weapons again in a Fox News interview in 2023. He said: “We are concerned about any country getting a nuclear weapon…If they get one, we have to get one for security reasons, for balancing power in the Middle East, but we don’t want to see that.”
further reading
Trump Approves Landmark Nuclear Deal With Saudi Arabia in Big Win for Kingdom (Wall Street Journal)
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Saudis Reach Deal With U.S. That Could Let Them Enrich Nuclear Fuel (New York Times)
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