Mohammed bin Salman's upcoming visit to the US; defense agreements, nuclear technology and F-35 on the agenda

Afghan Voice Agency (AVA) - International Service: Saudi Arabia is seeking to sign a formal and strong agreement with the United States that recognizes the country's growing role in regional security. The possible agreement will include joint defense planning, information exchange, and cooperation in the areas of missile and air defense. American sources have said that the agreement is similar to the security guarantee that the Trump administration previously provided to Qatar.

 

Request for F-35s

Riyadh wants to receive stealth F-35 fighters to bolster its air power. The request is part of Saudi Arabia’s effort to modernize its military and increase its deterrence against regional threats.

 

Access to civilian nuclear technology

The Saudi crown prince is also keen to accelerate negotiations on an agreement that would allow the country access to American technology to develop its civilian nuclear program. Achieving such an agreement, even without congressional approval, would be a major success for bin Salman.

 

Push to normalize relations with Israel

While the Biden administration had previously made defense and nuclear agreements conditional on normalizing Saudi relations with Israel, those talks stalled after Israel’s war on Gaza began. However, Donald Trump recently claimed in an interview with Time magazine that he was “very close” to an agreement under which Saudi Arabia would establish diplomatic relations with Israel.

 

According to Fars, however, Saudi analysts, including Ali al-Shihabi, have stressed that achieving such an agreement by the end of the year is “almost impossible” unless Israel takes an irreversible step towards the establishment of a Palestinian state. He added that Riyadh will use this trump card to finally resolve the Palestinian issue and achieve regional stability.

 

Mohammed bin Salman’s visit to Washington comes as Saudi Arabia seeks to consolidate its position as a key player in Persian Gulf security and regional developments. Possible agreements with the United States could create a new direction in relations between the two countries, although the shadow of pressure for normalization with Israel continues to weigh on the trip.