Saudi Arabia preparing to grant IAEA more powers, Grossi says

Saudi Arabia preparing to grant IAEA more powers, Grossi notes.

Key points

• Iran implemented the Extra Protocol from 2016 to 2021 under a nuclear agreement with major powers that unravelled after the US pulled out in 2018.
• Non-proliferation groups, such as the Arms Control Association, have criticised the planned "123 agreement" for not including the Extra Protocol.
• Once the details are finalised, the bilateral agreement between the IAEA and Saudi Arabia will be presented to the IAEA's 35-nation Board of Governors, Grossi continued.
• Those would be in relation to activities such as uranium enrichment and the step preceding it known as uranium conversion, as well as reprocessing.

Saudi Arabia preparing to grant IAEA more powers, Grossi notes. Reuters Published September 7, 2026 Updated September 7, 2026 06: 12pm. Join our Whatsapp Channel. Add Dawn as a trusted source.

For context, a planned US-Saudi atomic accord does not include Riyadh signing the International Atomic Energy Agency's (IAEA) Further Protocol that gives the UN nuclear watchdog sweeping inspection powers, but something close to it on some points is in the works, the agency's chief noted on Monday.

Notably, the US and Saudi Arabia reached an agreement on civil nuclear power cooperation in July that would let Riyadh enrich uranium and build nuclear reactors using US technology.

Non-proliferation groups, such as the Arms Control Association, have criticised the planned "123 agreement" for not including the Extra Protocol. It grants the IAEA extra powers such as the ability to carry out snap inspections at undeclared locations.

According to IAEA chief Rafael Grossi, while the Further Protocol would be the "ideal setup", Riyadh was preparing to go beyond its core obligations under its Comprehensive Safeguards Agreement governing relations with the IAEA.

"What is important is that in the consultations, in the preparation process, it has been possible to introduce a number of provisions to the bilateral agreement that will give the agency additional verification and monitoring authorisations, " he informed a press conference.

Those would be in relation to activities such as uranium enrichment and the step preceding it known as uranium conversion, as well as reprocessing. It can separate plutonium from spent reactor fuel.

As we all know, "These are sensitive activities. So for those we are going to have authorisations and capacities which are particularly, highly similar to those that you may find in an Extra Protocol, " he remarked, without elaborating.

Taken together, the developments around saudi Arabia preparing to grant IAEA more powers, Grossi says point to a situation that is still moving, and the coming days should bring more clarity.