美国与沙特阿拉伯于2026年7月22日在华盛顿正式签署一份为期30年的民用核合作协议 [1]。这份酝酿五年多的协议赋予沙特在本土开展铀浓缩和钚后处理两项敏感核活动的权限 [1]。根据协议条款，美国西屋电气等企业将负责这些核设施的建设与运行，并采用美方主控的"黑箱模式"进行管理 [1]。
协议在核查监督上采取非常规做法 [1]。沙特无需加入国际原子能机构附加议定书，转而由美沙双边团队自主执行核查工作，这使其绕开了140多个国家通用的多边核查体系 [1]。与此同时，协议对沙特施加了重要限制：若美方否决其本土浓缩项目，沙特在十年内不得独自或与第三方联合开展相关工作 [1]。两国还计划开展为期两年的联合研究 [1]。
这一协议在美以联军对伊朗战事持续进行的背景下完成，进一步深度绑定了美沙同盟关系 [1]。
The United States and Saudi Arabia signed a 30-year civil nuclear cooperation agreement on July 22, 2026, in Washington, concluding negotiations that had spanned over five years.[1] The accord grants Saudi Arabia the authority to conduct two sensitive nuclear activities on its own territory: uranium enrichment and plutonium reprocessing.[1] Construction and operation of these facilities will follow an American-controlled "black box model," with the US maintaining primary oversight.[1]
A significant departure from international norms, the agreement exempts Saudi Arabia from joining the International Atomic Energy Agency's Additional Protocol, instead establishing a bilateral verification system operated jointly by American and Saudi teams.[1] This arrangement effectively circumvents the multilateral inspection framework used by over 140 countries.[1] Saudi Arabia is subject to a restrictive clause stipulating that should the United States reject domestic enrichment projects, the kingdom cannot independently or jointly with third parties undertake such work for a decade.[1] The two nations have designated a two-year period for joint research activities.[1] Construction and operation are to be carried out by enterprises including Westinghouse Electric of the United States.[1]
The agreement was finalized against the backdrop of ongoing military operations between the US-Israel coalition and Iran, with Iranian forces conducting retaliatory strikes.[1] The accord deepens the strategic alignment between Washington and Riyadh through nuclear cooperation.
