United States Ambassador to the United Nations Mike Waltz on Sunday, July 26, 2026, reaffirmed that a recently signed agreement providing for a civilian nuclear program in Saudi Arabia will not be implemented until the Kingdom normalizes relations with Israel and joins the Abraham Accords. Speaking in television interviews, including on NBC’s Meet the Press and Fox News Sunday, Waltz emphasized that while the framework of the deal has been established, President Donald Trump has made clear that implementation depends on Saudi Arabia taking the step of formal diplomatic recognition of Israel.

“The president’s made it clear this needs to be part of the broader Abraham Accords, which he’s been talking about since his first term. It has to be implemented and the president’s put an important condition on that.” Mike Waltz, U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations

Waltz noted that discussions with Riyadh on normalization date back to the first Trump administration and remain ongoing.

Details of the Agreement

The nuclear cooperation pact, often described as a “123 agreement” under the U.S. Atomic Energy Act, was formally signed in recent days by U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright and Saudi Energy Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman. It outlines U.S. support for Saudi Arabia’s development of civilian nuclear power plants as the Kingdom seeks to diversify its energy mix and reduce reliance on oil.

Waltz stressed several key non-proliferation elements of the arrangement: no uranium enrichment capability is being provided or envisioned for Saudi Arabia under the current terms; the program is limited to civilian nuclear power reactors, including potentially small modular or larger reactors; and Saudi Arabia has agreed to full inspections. Any future discussion of enrichment, he said, would require mutual agreement and is not part of the baseline deal. Waltz described the arrangement as similar to the longstanding U.S. civilian nuclear cooperation agreement with the United Arab Emirates.

“We are not exporting enrichment capability to the Saudis. These are civilian nuclear power plants, as the Saudis look to diversify. But the difference is, they’ve signed up for full inspections. There is no enrichment.” Mike Waltz, on Fox News Sunday

The deal is expected to involve U.S. companies in constructing and supporting the reactors and is projected to span decades if fully realized. It still requires congressional review.

Context and Diplomatic Background

President Trump publicly stated shortly after the signing that the agreement “will be approved, but is totally subject to Saudi Arabia joining the very respected and successful Abraham Accords.” White House officials have echoed that the president views normalization as a core condition.

Saudi Arabia has long sought advanced civilian nuclear technology as part of its economic and energy diversification goals. Successive U.S. administrations had linked progress on such cooperation to broader regional diplomacy, including potential Saudi-Israeli normalization. Under the previous Biden administration, nuclear assistance was discussed as part of a larger package that included normalization and security commitments; progress stalled after the October 7, 2023, Hamas attacks on Israel and the ensuing Gaza war.

Riyadh has consistently maintained that any normalization with Israel would require a clear, credible pathway toward Palestinian statehood, consistent with elements of the Arab Peace Initiative. As of the latest reporting, Saudi Arabia had not issued a formal public response specifically addressing the new conditionality attached to the nuclear agreement.

Reactions and Implications

Israeli officials and some U.S. lawmakers had expressed concern when initial reports of the nuclear deal emerged without an explicit normalization requirement, citing proliferation risks and the potential loss of leverage for advancing Saudi-Israeli ties. Waltz’s comments and the administration’s insistence on the condition aim to address those worries by tying the practical benefits of the nuclear program to diplomatic progress.

Supporters of the approach argue that linking the deals strengthens U.S. influence, advances American commercial interests in nuclear technology exports, and keeps open a pathway to historic regional realignment. Critics, including some proliferation experts, continue to monitor the safeguards closely, noting the sensitivity of any nuclear cooperation in the Middle East.

Waltz’s statements on Sunday underscore the administration’s position that the signed framework does not automatically translate into operational cooperation. Implementation remains contingent on Saudi Arabia’s decision to normalize relations with Israel — an outcome that would mark a major expansion of the Abraham Accords and a significant diplomatic achievement if realized. Further discussions between Washington and Riyadh are expected as both sides navigate the interplay between energy cooperation, non-proliferation standards, and the broader pursuit of Middle East peace.