Saudi Arabia to Expand IAEA Verification Authority

International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director General Rafael Grossi said on September 7 that Saudi Arabia is preparing to grant the IAEA additional verification and monitoring authority beyond its existing safeguards obligations. The arrangement is similar in some mechanisms to the Additional Protocol, but the proposed US-Saudi civilian nuclear cooperation agreement does not include provisions requiring Saudi Arabia to sign the Additional Protocol.

In July, the United States and Saudi Arabia reached an agreement on civilian nuclear cooperation. According to available information, the agreement would allow Saudi Arabia to conduct uranium enrichment and build nuclear reactors using US technology. Some nonproliferation organizations have previously criticized that the proposed "123 Agreement" does not incorporate the Additional Protocol, which typically grants the IAEA broader verification authority, including the ability to conduct surprise inspections at undeclared sites.

Grossi stated that the Additional Protocol remains the "ideal arrangement," but Saudi Arabia is prepared to go beyond its core obligations under the Comprehensive Safeguards Agreement with the IAEA. He said at a press conference that during consultations and preparations, relevant bilateral arrangements have already made it possible to include certain provisions that would grant the IAEA additional verification and monitoring authority.

Grossi noted that the relevant sensitive activities include uranium enrichment, uranium conversion, and reprocessing. Reprocessing can separate plutonium from spent fuel and is therefore generally regarded as a key focus in nuclear nonproliferation oversight. He stated that for these activities, the IAEA would obtain authority and capabilities "very similar" to those under the Additional Protocol, but did not disclose further details.

Grossi also said that once the bilateral agreement between the IAEA and Saudi Arabia completes its detailed negotiations, it will be submitted for review by the IAEA Board of Governors, which consists of 35 member states.