Desk: America, which has taken a tough stance on Iran’s nuclear program, is now preparing to take forward the nuclear energy agreement with Saudi Arabia. This is why once again questions are being raised on America’s policy. On one hand, Washington says that Iran’s uranium enrichment is a threat to regional security, while on the other hand, there is a preparation to give such an agreement to Saudi Arabia which does not include such strict conditions as before. In such a situation, the question is arising whether America is biased on nuclear policy?
According to Reuters report, America is going to present ‘123 Agreement’ with Saudi Arabia, so that it can provide nuclear power technology and related support to Saudi Arabia. Its objective is to develop nuclear power projects for power generation. But this time the ‘Gold Standard’ is not included in this agreement, which America has till now considered to be the strongest security condition.
This agreement will allow American companies to participate in Saudi Arabia’s civil nuclear energy program. However, the report says that this agreement does not include those stringent security provisions, which America has till now considered necessary to stop nuclear proliferation. If this condition is not there, then in future Saudi Arabia may have such technology and capability, which it can also use in the direction of nuclear weapons program. This is the reason why concerns are being expressed about this agreement.
123 Agreement is a nuclear cooperation agreement under Section 123 of the American Atomic Energy Act, 1954. Through this, America can cooperate with any other country in civil nuclear technology, fuel and technology. But usually such agreements have a condition that the country concerned will accept strict control on activities that can be used in the direction of making nuclear weapons. America has been imposing sanctions on Iran for years, saying that it is enriching uranium and can make nuclear weapons.
According to Reuters, the proposed agreement does not include the so-called ‘gold standard’. This means that Saudi Arabia will not have a clear ban on uranium enrichment and reprocessing of used nuclear fuel. Apart from this, the Additional Protocol of IAEA is also not included in it. Additional Protocol is an additional security arrangement, under which the United Nations nuclear agency IAEA (International Atomic Energy Agency) gets the right to more strictly monitor the nuclear program of a country.
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MBS) had clearly said in 2018 that if Iran makes nuclear weapons, then Saudi Arabia will also develop nuclear weapons as soon as possible. His statement is again in discussion today, because America is now preparing to increase nuclear cooperation with the same country. Saudi Arabia says that it wants to retain the right to enrich uranium in the future. That means he is not in favor of completely banning this technology.
If Saudi’s nuclear program progresses rapidly, Iran may try to strengthen its program further. This may further increase the tension between the two countries. This deal is not only a sign of nuclear energy but also of strategic partnership. This will further strengthen the relationship between America and Saudi, while Iran may feel more surrounded in the region.
The agreement can soon be presented in the US Congress. According to one source, the Trump administration can present it on Wednesday itself, while another source says that it may take about a week. There is concern about this agreement even in the US Congress. Many Democratic lawmakers as well as some Republican leaders believe that any nuclear deal with Saudi Arabia should have strict security provisions. These include current US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who had advocated such security conditions when he was a senator.
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