Saudi Arabia is committed to the highest nuclear safety standards, Energy Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman said during the gathering of IAEA member states on Monday amid bids to erect a nuclear power plant in Saudi Arabia.

Russia, China, and France are all vying to lay the cornerstone for the Saudi power plant as the nation itself seeks to sign several deals ahead of going into a contract with the states in question.

"The Kingdom is committed through its national policy on atomic energy to the highest standards of transparency and reliability… The kingdom is working to develop peaceful uses of nuclear energy across various fields through close cooperation with the agency," bin Salman said.

"This includes the Saudi national atomic energy project through its various components, including the building of the first nuclear power plant in the kingdom," the Minister added in Vienna.

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), the nuclear agency of the United Nations, kicked off a five-day conference that brought together its 176 member states and "Israel" at the headquarters in Vienna, Austria.

Saudi Arabia, according to its energy minister, wants to possess and develop nuclear technology to deliver on the sustainable development goals it had pledged to implement as part of Saudi Vision 2030.

"We look forward to cooperating a regional cooperation center with the agency to develop human capabilities and preparedness and response to radiological and nuclear emergencies as well as other regulatory aspects," he said.

Bin Salman underlined that Saudi Arabia was committed to the Treaty of Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) while reaffirming the importance of fully implementing the 1955 resolution establishing a nuclear-weapon-free zone in the region.

The Saudi energy minister finally pledged a donation of $2.5 million to the UN nuclear watchdog's Rays of Hope initiative seeking to provide radiotherapy to cancer patients in low- and middle-income countries.

China, Russia, France, and South Korea have been vying for the contract to erect two nuclear power plants with a capacity of some 1.4 GW each, entering a bidding war for the deal.

Russian state nuclear energy agency Rosatom has since October 2017 been bidding to build Saudi Arabia's first nuclear power plant, with China also submitting a bid in August 2023.

Saudi Arabia has been seeking US assistance to develop a civilian nuclear program as part of ongoing talks brokered by the US aimed at normalizing relations between Riyadh and "Israel." This intricate arrangement could reshape Middle East geopolitics.

In response to reports that US and Israeli officials were discussing a US-managed uranium enrichment program in Saudi Arabia, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman stated that if Iran were to "acquire a nuclear weapon," Saudi Arabia would feel compelled to follow suit.

A contentious issue

The negotiations for a potential normalization deal involve the US providing Riyadh with security assurances and support for a civilian nuclear program. In return, Saudi Arabia would normalize relations with "Israel" and seek concessions from it regarding the Palestinian issue.

The matter of allowing Saudi Arabia to develop a civil nuclear program has been one of the most contentious aspects of these talks. Concerns have arisen over the potential for uranium enrichment in Saudi Arabia, as it could eventually facilitate nuclear weapon production. The US has been more inclined toward Saudi Arabia procuring nuclear fuel from the international market rather than enabling on-site uranium enrichment.

However, US officials have recently shown openness to Saudi Arabia's requests for civil nuclear cooperation and discussed ways to address Israeli concerns regarding Saudi uranium enrichment.

While some members of the Israeli security establishment have reservations about endorsing a US-backed Saudi nuclear program, others argue that Saudi Arabia has alternative options if the US rejects its demands.

This comes after a recent statement by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman who admitted that Saudi Arabia was getting closer to normalizing ties with the Israeli occupation in an interview with Fox News.