Trump's Saudi Deal Sparks Unease Over Proliferation Fears

US President Donald Trump's deal with Saudi Arabia has sparked unease in the Middle East and beyond, particularly in Iran. Despite decades of suspicion, Tehran has been careful not to build a nuclear bomb, but an Iranian bomb would trigger a nuclear arms race across the region, experts say.

The agreement allows Saudi Arabia to enrich uranium on its own soil without full international inspections, raising concerns about proliferation. Analysts argue that this deal could embolden other countries in the region to seek their own deterrents, making the Middle East more volatile.

However, Trump has appeared to have second thoughts and now demands that Saudi Arabia must sign the Abraham Accords and recognize Israel before moving ahead with the nuclear deal. The Saudi response was swift and dismissive, saying that this condition should have been negotiated beforehand.

The episode is part of a larger reshaping of the Middle East by Trump, backed by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. This has left allies, rivals, and oil markets struggling to keep up.