President Donald Trump said Thursday that a civilian nuclear cooperation agreement between the United States and Saudi Arabia will be implemented only if the kingdom establishes diplomatic relations with Israel through the Abraham Accords. The announcement came one day after U.S. and Saudi officials unveiled the agreement, raising new questions about whether it can proceed as negotiated.

The new requirement was not included when the agreement was first announced, placing the future of the pact in doubt because Saudi Arabia has repeatedly said it will not normalize relations with Israel without meaningful progress toward the creation of a Palestinian state.  White House officials said the administration has consistently encouraged Saudi Arabia to join the Abraham Accords and described the condition as consistent with the president's broader Middle East policy. The agreement will now undergo a 90-day congressional review and includes a feasibility study before implementation. Lawmakers and nuclear policy experts are expected to closely examine the deal's safeguards, particularly provisions related to nuclear fuel and international oversight.