{"id":2326,"date":"2026-07-24T03:10:23","date_gmt":"2026-07-24T03:10:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/arabnewsmonitor.com\/2026\/07\/24\/trump-says-saudi-nuclear-deal-contingent-on-riyadh-normalising-relations-with-israel\/"},"modified":"2026-07-24T03:10:23","modified_gmt":"2026-07-24T03:10:23","slug":"trump-says-saudi-nuclear-deal-contingent-on-riyadh-normalising-relations-with-israel","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.arabnewsmonitor.com\/?p=2326","title":{"rendered":"Trump says Saudi nuclear deal contingent on Riyadh normalising relations with Israel"},"content":{"rendered":"<div data-tms-ad-status=\"idle\" data-tms-ad-container class=\"o-ad-container o-ad-container--banner-top o-ad-container--with-shimmer o-ad-container--with-background\">\n<div class=\"o-ad-container__content o-ad-container__content--report-enabled\">\n<div class=\"o-ad-container__label m-block-ad__label--report-enabled\">\n                    <span class=\"o-ad-container__label__text\">Advertising<\/span><br \/>\n                                            <button title=\"Report this ad\" class=\"o-ad-container__content__report-link\" data-tms-ad-report><\/p>\n<p>                        <\/button>\n                                    <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"o-ad-sponsoring\" data-tms-ad-type=\"sponsoring\" data-tms-ad-status=\"disabled\">\n<div class=\"o-ad-sponsoring__wrapper\">\n    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"t-content t-content--article\" id=\"main-content\">\n<div class=\"t-content__above-sidebar\">\n<h1 class=\"t-content__title a-page-title\">Trump says Saudi nuclear deal contingent on Riyadh normalising relations with Israel<\/h1>\n<div class=\"m-master-tag\">\n<div class=\"a-tag-section\">\n                                    Middle East\n                            <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p class=\"t-content__chapo\">\n                                        President Donald Trump on Thursday set a new condition to a US-Saudi nuclear deal signed the previous day by insisting the agreement was &#8220;totally subject to&#8221; the Gulf kingdom joining the Abraham Accords. Riyadh has resisted normalising relations with Israel, especially after the Gaza war, and the new condition throws the US-Saudi deal into turmoil.                <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"t-content__with-sidebar\">\n<div class=\"t-content__beside-sidebar\" data-article-content>\n<div class=\"t-content__metadata\">\n<div class=\"t-content__dates\">\n<p class=\"m-pub-dates\"><span class=\"m-pub-dates__date\">Issued on: <time datetime=\"2026-07-23T16:31:14+00:00\">23\/07\/2026 &#8211; 18:31<\/time><\/span><span class=\"m-pub-dates__date\">Modified: <time datetime=\"2026-07-23T20:58:47+00:00\">23\/07\/2026 &#8211; 22:58<\/time><\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"a-reading-time\">\n    <span class=\"a-reading-time__icon\" title=\"Reading time\"><\/p>\n<p>    <\/span><br \/>\n    3 min    <span class=\"u-sr-only\">Reading time<\/span>\n<\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"a-share-button\" data-root-share>\n<p>                            <span class=\"a-master-button__label\">Share<\/span><\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"t-content__authors\">\n<div class=\"m-from-author\">\n                    <span class=\"m-from-author__by-label\"><br \/>\n                By:<br \/>\n            <\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"m-author\">\n<div class=\"m-author__name\">\n                                                    <a href=\"\/en\/author\/france-24\/\" title=\"FRANCE 24\" class=\"m-author__name__title\"><br \/>\n                                FRANCE 24<br \/>\n                            <\/a>\n                    <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"m-from-author\">\n                    <span class=\"m-from-author__by-label\"><br \/>\n                Video by:<br \/>\n            <\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"m-author\">\n<div class=\"m-author__name\">\n                                                    <a href=\"\/en\/author\/emerald-maxwell\/\" title=\"Emerald MAXWELL\" class=\"m-author__name__title\"><br \/>\n                                Emerald MAXWELL<br \/>\n                            <\/a>\n                    <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"o-video-player o-video-player--16x9 t-content__main-media \" data-media-video-1bef62b5-ac4a-4922-9eca-5d020523e2d7 data-show-hidden-video-player=\"1BEF62B5-AC4A-4922-9ECA-5D020523E2D7\" data-wrapper-video-player data-autoplay-video-link data-youtube-script>\n<div class=\"o-em-consent \">\n<div class=\"o-em-consent__content\">\n<p class=\"o-em-consent__content__text\">To display this content from YouTube, you must enable advertisement tracking and audience measurement.<\/p>\n<p>        <button class=\"a-master-button a-master-button--dark\" data-action=\"accept\"><br \/>\n            Accept<\/p>\n<p>        <\/button><br \/>\n        <button class=\"a-link\" data-action=\"manage\">Manage my choices                <\/p>\n<p><\/button>\n    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"o-em-adblock\" data-adblock-content>\n<div class=\"o-em-adblock__content\">\n<p class=\"o-em-adblock__content__text\">One of your browser extensions seems to be blocking the video player from loading. To watch this content, you may need to disable it on this site.<\/p>\n<p>            <button class=\"a-master-button a-master-button--dark\" data-action=\"reload\">Try again<\/button>\n    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<figure class=\"m-item-image m-item-image--16x9 m-item-image--has-caption\">\n<p><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"auto\" src=\"https:\/\/s.france24.com\/media\/display\/435d636a-8613-11f1-afb8-005056bfb2b6\/w:1024\/p:16x9\/7471a41ebc7365941af7ada73db3369ccd91b9e6.jpg\" srcset=\"https:\/\/s.france24.com\/media\/display\/435d636a-8613-11f1-afb8-005056bfb2b6\/w:388\/p:16x9\/7471a41ebc7365941af7ada73db3369ccd91b9e6.jpg 388w,https:\/\/s.france24.com\/media\/display\/435d636a-8613-11f1-afb8-005056bfb2b6\/w:720\/p:16x9\/7471a41ebc7365941af7ada73db3369ccd91b9e6.jpg 720w,https:\/\/s.france24.com\/media\/display\/435d636a-8613-11f1-afb8-005056bfb2b6\/w:1024\/p:16x9\/7471a41ebc7365941af7ada73db3369ccd91b9e6.jpg 1024w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1076px) 100vw, 1012px\" width=\"1024\" height=\"576\" alt=\"Trump with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman at the US-Saudi investment forum in Washington in November 2025\" loading=\"eager\" class=\"a-img \"><figcaption class=\"a-figcaption\">\n    Cover image:            US President Donald Trump with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman at the US-Saudi investment forum in Washington in November 2025.        \u00a9 Brendan Smialowski, AFP    <\/figcaption><div class=\"m-item-image__overlay-wrapper\">\n                <button class=\"m-main-media-btn\" aria-label=\"Trump says Saudi nuclear deal contingent on Riyadh normalising relations with Israel: Play the video\"><br \/>\n    <span class=\"m-main-media-btn__picto\"><\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"a-circle-loader\">\n<\/div>\n<p><\/button><br \/>\n<time class=\"a-media-time\">01:37<\/time>                <\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<div data-hidden-video-player=\"1BEF62B5-AC4A-4922-9ECA-5D020523E2D7\"><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"t-content__body u-clearfix\">\n<p>US President <a href=\"https:\/\/www.france24.com\/en\/tag\/donald-trump\/\" target=\"_self\" class=\"gtm-add-suggested-tag\">Donald Trump<\/a> said Thursday that a nuclear deal with <a href=\"https:\/\/www.france24.com\/en\/tag\/saudi-arabia\/\" target=\"_self\" class=\"gtm-add-suggested-tag\">Saudi Arabia<\/a> depends on the kingdom recognising <a href=\"https:\/\/www.france24.com\/en\/tag\/israel\/\" target=\"_self\" class=\"gtm-add-suggested-tag\">Israel<\/a>\u00a0\u2013 throwing the agreement into turmoil just the day after it was signed.<\/p>\n<p>Riyadh has long resisted joining the so-called <a href=\"https:\/\/www.france24.com\/en\/tag\/abraham-accords\/\" target=\"_self\" class=\"gtm-add-suggested-tag\">Abraham Accords<\/a> with Israel, insisting especially after the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.france24.com\/en\/tag\/war-in-gaza\/\" target=\"_self\">Gaza conflict<\/a> on a pathway to a Palestinian state.<\/p>\n<p class=\"a-read-more\"><span class=\"a-read-more__label\">Read more<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.france24.com\/en\/middle-east\/20260723-middle-east-live-houthi-rebels-claim-attacks-on-saudi-tankers-in-the-red-sea\" target=\"_self\" class=\"a-read-more__link\">Middle East live: Trump says US will hold Iran responsible for Houthi attacks<\/a><\/p>\n<p>The civilian nuclear deal announced on Wednesday had appeared to be a major win for the Saudis, especially coming as Trump wages war on <a href=\"https:\/\/www.france24.com\/en\/tag\/iran\/\" target=\"_self\" class=\"gtm-add-suggested-tag\">Iran<\/a> in large part over concerns about Tehran&#8217;s own atomic program.<\/p>\n<p>But Trump threw a gigantic spanner into the works with his post on his Truth Social network saying the Saudi deal &#8220;will be approved, but is totally subject to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.france24.com\/en\/tag\/saudi-arabia\/\" target=\"_self\" class=\"gtm-add-suggested-tag\">Saudi Arabia<\/a> joining the very respected and successful Abraham Accords&#8221;.<\/p>\n<div class=\"m-em-image\">\n<figure class=\"m-item-image m-item-image--original m-item-image--has-caption\">\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/s.france24.com\/media\/display\/7dada90a-86d4-11f1-94cc-005056bfb2b6\/w:980\/trump-July21.jpg\" srcset=\"https:\/\/s.france24.com\/media\/display\/7dada90a-86d4-11f1-94cc-005056bfb2b6\/w:246\/trump-July21.jpg 246w,https:\/\/s.france24.com\/media\/display\/7dada90a-86d4-11f1-94cc-005056bfb2b6\/w:388\/trump-July21.jpg 388w,https:\/\/s.france24.com\/media\/display\/7dada90a-86d4-11f1-94cc-005056bfb2b6\/w:720\/trump-July21.jpg 720w,https:\/\/s.france24.com\/media\/display\/7dada90a-86d4-11f1-94cc-005056bfb2b6\/w:980\/trump-July21.jpg 980w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1023px) calc(100vw - 32px), (min-width: 1024px) 850px\" alt=\"President Donald Trump on July 23, 2026, declared that the US-Saudi nuclear deal was dependent on Riyadh normalising relations with Israel.\" style=\"max-height:325px\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"a-img \"><figcaption class=\"a-figcaption\">\n                President Donald Trump on July 23, 2026, declared that the US-Saudi nuclear deal was dependent on Riyadh normalising relations with Israel.        \u00a9 Screengrab, Truth Social @realDonaldTrump    <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>The White House insisted that the Saudis knew the deal was contingent on recognising Israel, despite the fact that it was not mentioned when the deal was announced.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;The president is always the final dealmaker, as you know,&#8221; Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters, adding that the Abraham Accords were &#8220;something that he feels very strongly about and has spoken about it in the past and will continue to uphold&#8221;.<\/p>\n<p>Leavitt said Washington would &#8220;continue to have those conversations with our Saudi counterparts&#8221; to finalise a deal including recognition of Israel.<\/p>\n<h2>&#8216;Historic leap&#8217;<\/h2>\n<p>Israel&#8217;s Prime Minister <a href=\"https:\/\/www.france24.com\/en\/tag\/benjamin-netanyahu\/\" target=\"_self\" class=\"gtm-add-suggested-tag\">Benjamin Netanyahu<\/a> said recognition by Saudi Arabia, a regional power and home to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.france24.com\/en\/tag\/islam\/\" target=\"_self\" class=\"gtm-add-suggested-tag\">Islam<\/a>&#8216;s holiest sites, would mark a &#8220;historic leap&#8221; forward for peace in the Middle East.<\/p>\n<p>Leavitt said she did not know of any calls between Trump and Netanyahu following the announcement of the Saudi agreement.<\/p>\n<p>Should it go through, the deal to establish a civilian nuclear program in Saudi Arabia would generate billions of dollars for American companies, but with Trump&#8217;s latest announcement, it was unclear whether it would ever see the light of day.<\/p>\n<p>If Washington &#8220;tries to force normalisation on Riyadh, it&#8217;s not likely to work out very well&#8221;, said H.A. Hellyer, senior associate fellow at the Royal United Services Institute for Defense and Security Studies.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;Would Saudi decide to do a complete 180 on what it has declared for the past three years, or 30 years? Quite dubious,&#8221; he told AFP.<\/p>\n<p>Critics have also insisted that the deal could precipitate a nuclear race in a region already battered by war.<\/p>\n<p>One provision would potentially see US companies build a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.france24.com\/en\/tag\/uranium\/\" target=\"_self\" class=\"gtm-add-suggested-tag\">uranium<\/a> enrichment facility in Saudi Arabia, The Wall Street Journal reported.<\/p>\n<p class=\"a-read-more\"><span class=\"a-read-more__label\">Read more<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.france24.com\/en\/middle-east\/20260722-us-announce-landmark-deal-allowing-saudis-enrich-nuclear-fuel-reports-say\" target=\"_self\" class=\"a-read-more__link\">US announces landmark deal allowing Saudis to enrich nuclear fuel<\/a><\/p>\n<p>The US Energy Department made no mention of such a provision and did not offer comment when asked about it by AFP.<\/p>\n<p>And Trump seemingly quashed it by saying on Truth Social that there would be &#8220;no enrichment of material!&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>The deal will be submitted to Congress for review.<\/p>\n<p>US lawmakers from both parties and Israeli officials have previously voiced opposition to such a project over fears Saudi Arabia could eventually convert it to develop <a href=\"https:\/\/www.france24.com\/en\/tag\/nuclear-weapons\/\" target=\"_self\" class=\"gtm-add-suggested-tag\">nuclear weapons<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>US Secretary of State <a href=\"https:\/\/www.france24.com\/en\/tag\/marco-rubio\/\" target=\"_self\" class=\"gtm-add-suggested-tag\">Marco Rubio<\/a> said that &#8220;any agreement that we&#8217;re going to make with any country in the world on civil <a href=\"https:\/\/www.france24.com\/en\/tag\/nuclear-energy\/\" target=\"_self\" class=\"gtm-add-suggested-tag\">nuclear energy<\/a> is going to be one that will have safeguards in place to ensure that it can&#8217;t be turned into a weapons programme&#8221;.<\/p>\n<h2>Proliferation concerns<\/h2>\n<p>Riyadh, like Tehran, has long been adamant about its right to pursue a civilian nuclear programme. Last year it signed a mutual defense pact with nuclear-armed Pakistan.<\/p>\n<p>Policymakers have long feared that if Iran produced a nuclear weapon, the move would set off an arms race across the Gulf.<\/p>\n<p>US Energy Secretary Chris Wright dismissed concerns, insisting the deal was in Washington&#8217;s economic and strategic interest and involved the &#8220;highest standards of nuclear safety and nonproliferation&#8221;.<\/p>\n<p>The United States has agreements governing nuclear cooperation with more than 50 countries.<\/p>\n<p>The Saudi deal meanwhile comes as Riyadh looks set to be dragged further into the Middle East war, with Yemen&#8217;s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.france24.com\/en\/tag\/houthi-rebels\/\" target=\"_self\" class=\"gtm-add-suggested-tag\">Houthi rebels<\/a> starting to attack ships in the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.france24.com\/en\/tag\/red-sea\/\" target=\"_self\" class=\"gtm-add-suggested-tag\">Red Sea<\/a> to enforce what they say is a blockade on Saudi Arabia.<\/p>\n<p>Trump vowed to punish both Iran and the Houthis if the attacks continue.<\/p>\n<p><em>(FRANCE 24 with AFP)<\/em><\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"o-sidebar\">\n<div class=\"o-sidebar__aside\">\n<div data-tms-ad-status=\"idle\" data-tms-ad-container class=\"o-ad-container o-ad-container--box o-ad-container--with-shimmer\">\n<div class=\"o-ad-container__content o-ad-container__content--report-enabled\">\n<div class=\"o-ad-container__label m-block-ad__label--report-enabled\">\n                    <span class=\"o-ad-container__label__text\">Advertising<\/span><br \/>\n                                            <button title=\"Report this ad\" class=\"o-ad-container__content__report-link\" data-tms-ad-report><\/p>\n<p>                        <\/button>\n                                    <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"t-content__tags t-content__below-sidebar\">\n<div class=\"m-section-title m-section-title--small\">Keywords for this article<\/div>\n<ul class=\"m-tags-list\">\n<li class=\"m-tags-list__tag\">\n                <a href=\"\/en\/tag\/iran-conflict\/\" class=\"a-hot-tag\" title=\"Iran war\">    Iran war<\/a>\n            <\/li>\n<li class=\"m-tags-list__tag\">\n                <a href=\"\/en\/tag\/donald-trump\/\" class=\"a-hot-tag\" title=\"Donald Trump\">    Donald Trump<\/a>\n            <\/li>\n<li class=\"m-tags-list__tag\">\n                <a href=\"\/en\/tag\/saudi-arabia\/\" class=\"a-hot-tag\" title=\"Saudi Arabia\">    Saudi Arabia<\/a>\n            <\/li>\n<li class=\"m-tags-list__tag\">\n                <a href=\"\/en\/tag\/israel\/\" class=\"a-hot-tag\" title=\"Israel\">    Israel<\/a>\n            <\/li>\n<li class=\"m-tags-list__tag\">\n                <a href=\"\/en\/tag\/nuclear-energy\/\" class=\"a-hot-tag\" title=\"nuclear energy\">    nuclear energy<\/a>\n            <\/li>\n<li class=\"m-tags-list__tag\">\n                <a href=\"\/en\/tag\/benjamin-netanyahu\/\" class=\"a-hot-tag\" title=\"Benjamin Netanyahu\">    Benjamin Netanyahu<\/a>\n            <\/li>\n<li class=\"m-tags-list__tag\">\n                <a href=\"\/en\/tag\/abraham-accords\/\" class=\"a-hot-tag\" title=\"Abraham Accords\">    Abraham Accords<\/a>\n            <\/li>\n<\/ul><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Advertising Trump says Saudi nuclear deal contingent on Riyadh normalising relations with Israel Middle East&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":0,"featured_media":2327,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2326","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-middle-east"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.arabnewsmonitor.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2326","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.arabnewsmonitor.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.arabnewsmonitor.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.arabnewsmonitor.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=2326"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.arabnewsmonitor.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2326\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.arabnewsmonitor.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/2327"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.arabnewsmonitor.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=2326"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.arabnewsmonitor.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=2326"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.arabnewsmonitor.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=2326"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}