Saudi Arabia wants to pursue a "full cycle" nuclear program, which would entail the kingdom processing and enriching its own uranium, the country's new energy minister said on Monday.
The remarks by Prince Abdulaziz have spooked nonproliferation experts, who warn that such technology could allow Saudi Arabia to pursue a nuclear weapon amid heightened tensions between Iran and the US over Tehran's nuclear program.
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Prince Abdulaziz was speaking in Abu Dhabi, the United Arab Emirates, at an energy conference ahead of a meeting later this week between OPEC member-states and other major oil producers like Russia to review an agreement to cut production.
The prince is King Salman's fourth son and an older half brother to the 34-year-old Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
Dan Brouillette, a deputy US energy secretary who attended Monday's event, said that he hoped Saudi Arabia would instead choose to go with a so-called "123 Agreement" like the United Arab Emirates. The UAE chose to agree to strict inspections and a pledge never to pursue uranium enrichment and plutonium reprocessing.
"Personally, I think that's something we have to work out with them," Brouillette told journalists. "I think it's very important that we stick to the 123 Agreements. What they look like at the end is going to be a subject of negotiation, but as we move forward with US technology, in particular, we are very much committed to finding an appropriate 123 with Saudi Arabia."
