WASHINGTON–RIYADH, July 22. /Dunyo IA/. U.S. President Donald Trump has approved an agreement with Saudi Arabia on cooperation in the field of peaceful nuclear energy that could allow the kingdom to enrich uranium for its civilian nuclear program, reports Dunyo IA correspondent, citing the Associated Press.

According to sources, the agreement could be officially announced as early as the coming days. The document is designed to remain in effect for 30 years and provides for the participation of U.S. companies in the development of Saudi Arabia’s nuclear program, including the possibility of constructing a uranium enrichment facility following a joint U.S.-Saudi research.

The agreement is expected to be submitted to the Congress for consideration. However, it could face opposition from lawmakers who fear that providing Riyadh with uranium enrichment technology would increase the risk of nuclear weapons proliferation and trigger a new arms race in the Middle East.

According to AP, the document does not require Saudi Arabia to adopt the International Atomic Energy Agency’s (IAEA) Additional Protocol, which allows for stricter international oversight and inspections of nuclear facilities.

The expected agreement is being discussed against the backdrop of the ongoing conflict between the United States and Israel on one side and Iran on the other, one of whose stated objectives, according to Washington, is to prevent Tehran from developing nuclear weapons. Iran, for its part, maintains that its nuclear program is exclusively peaceful.