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The United States and Saudi Arabia on Wednesday announced a landmark deal that would establish a civilian nuclear programme in the kingdom, but which critics fear could pave the way to enrichment and an atomic arms race.
The move comes as the US fights a war with Iran that began in large part over concerns about Tehran’s nuclear programme — still a key point of contention in now-stalled peace talks.
The deal is set to generate billions of dollars for American companies and is seen as a major win for Iran’s longtime regional rival, granting it access to nuclear technology without normalising ties with Israel.
Washington had sought in recent years to condition any nuclear agreement and defence pact on normalisation with Israel.
