L Mohammed bin Salman's visitIn a video circulating during his participation in the Manama Dialogue 2025 session in Bahrain, Burgom explained that the discussion with Riyadh is still ongoing, expressing his expectation that there will be "a lot of activity" until the scheduled visit on November 18.
He also expressed optimism about major announcements and the possibility of an agreement being signed during the meeting between the Saudi Crown Prince and US President Donald Trump after that round of talks.
Watch | US Interior Secretary Doug Bergman hinted during his participation in the Manama Dialogue at the possibility of announcing a peaceful nuclear agreement between Saudi Arabia and the United States, coinciding with the Saudi Crown Prince's visit to the White House
This interaction comes in the wake of the earlier announcement that Saudi Arabia and Pakistan had signed a joint defense agreement, which sparked speculation about the possibility of nuclear technology being transferred from Islamabad to Riyadh.
According to what was published by the official Saudi Press Agency, the agreement aims to develop defense cooperation between the two countries and enhance joint deterrence against any aggression, as it stipulates that any attack on one of the two countries is considered an attack on both of them.
In a video, the US Secretary of Homeland Security hinted at a possible Saudi-American peaceful nuclear agreement during the Crown Prince's visit to the White House on November 18th.
US Secretary of Homeland Security Doug Bergman hinted at the possibility of announcing a peaceful nuclear agreement between… pic.twitter.com/GaD9gQi9fM
This was based on the historical partnership spanning eight decades, the bonds of brotherhood and Islamic solidarity, and the shared strategic interests between the two sides.
Challenges associated with the Saudi-American nuclear agreement
Despite the declared peaceful nature of the nuclear agreement between Saudi Arabia and the United States, this project faces a number of political, technical and security challenges that may hinder its implementation or affect its future course.
The first of these challenges is the issue of uranium enrichment and nuclear fuel reprocessing, as the question of whether Saudi Arabia will be allowed to conduct these activities within its borders remains unresolved. Washington believes that domestic enrichment could open the door to non-peaceful uses of nuclear technology, while Riyadh considers it a sovereign right consistent with its goals of achieving nuclear energy self-sufficiency.
The second challenge concerns international safeguards and oversight. Nuclear cooperation between the two sides requires strict adherence to the standards of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and the signing of additional protocols that allow for comprehensive inspections, ensuring full transparency at all stages of the project. Some parties fear that any laxity in implementing these controls could raise doubts about the intentions of the nuclear program in the future.
On the other hand, regional and international concerns are mounting that Saudi-American nuclear cooperation could ignite a nuclear arms race in the Middle East, especially given the ongoing tensions with Iran and the efforts of some countries in the region to develop similar nuclear programs. These concerns make the Saudi nuclear program a sensitive issue in the security calculations of the United States and its allies.
