If an enrichment provision is included, it would distinguish this agreement from another one struck by the US with the United Arab Emirates in 2009, under which the UAE does not produce its own fuel and accepts a host of other restrictions.
For that reason, the agreement is also expected to attract concern from nuclear non-proliferation campaigners, whose ultimate aim is to prevent an increase in the number of nuclear weapons worldwide.
But energy sector expert Bob McNally, a former member of US President George W Bush’s National Security Council, suggested the US was not creating a “great” security risk.
“I think we have a good record of working with countries to responsibly develop their nuclear sectors,” he told the BBC.
Saudi Arabia has been lobbying for such a deal for years, but Washington had held out on the proviso that it recognises Israel, a key US ally, and normalises diplomatic and economic relations with it.
But that demand appears to have now been dropped, according to US media reports.
Trump has worked to cultivate a closer relationship with Saudi Arabia during his time in the White House.
Along with the strategic and commercial gains likely to come with this deal, one possible reason for this agreement happening now is that Russia and China have reportedly been in discussions to strike a similar deal and the US might not have wanted to miss out.
The deal marks a major victory for Saudi Arabia, and it has the potential to reshape power dynamics in the Middle East – though not in the immediate future. BBC