Trump Administration Pursues Saudi Nuclear Deal Without Safeguards
The Trump administration is seeking Congressional approval for a Saudi nuclear technology pact that excludes long-standing U.S. non-proliferation safeguards. Meanwhile, escalating hostilities between the U.S. and Iran threaten to push global economic growth as low as 1.3% in 2026, according to World Bank chief economist Indermit Gill.
Trump Administration Pursues Saudi Nuclear Deal Without Safeguards
The Trump administration plans to submit a nuclear technology sharing agreement with Saudi Arabia to Congress, according to two sources who spoke with Reuters. The proposed pact is notable for its omission of safeguards that the U.S. has historically maintained are essential to prevent the diversion of materials into nuclear weapons programs.
Global Economic and Energy Markets Face Escalating Disruption
The intensifying conflict between the United States and Iran is creating significant volatility in global markets. World Bank chief economist Indermit Gill told Reuters that the escalating hostilities could reignite inflation and drive interest rates higher, potentially knocking global growth down to 1.3% in 2026, compared to 2.9% last year.
Energy shipping routes are increasingly compromised. On Tuesday, two tankers carrying Saudi crude oil to Asia reversed course in the Red Sea following threats from Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthis. These disruptions in the Red Sea, combined with the broader conflict, are threatening the output plans of Asian oil refiners for August. According to Reuters reporting, this tightening of fuel stocks could bolster prices unless China intervenes to fill the supply gap.
Market adjustments are already underway. On Wednesday, the state-owned National Iranian Oil Company announced it has set the official selling price for its light crude oil grade for Asian buyers at $4.35 a barrel below the Oman/Dubai average for August.
Military and Diplomatic Tensions Across Jordan and Bulgaria
The regional conflict has expanded its physical footprint, impacting both aviation and military logistics. The European Union Aviation Safety Agency issued a warning on Wednesday advising airlines to avoid Jordanian airspace following strikes by Iran against Jordan and other U.S. Gulf allies.
Trump Administration Reportedly Clears Landmark Nuclear Deal With Saudi Arabia
In Europe, Bulgaria’s parliament approved the temporary stationing of U.S. tanker aircraft at the Bezmer military base on Wednesday. This decision proceeded despite warnings from Iran, which characterized the move as complicity in aggression and war crimes—an accusation the Bulgarian government in Sofia rejected.
Domestic tension within Iran also remains high. The judiciary’s official Mizan news agency and an opposition group reported on Wednesday that Iran executed a man on charges linked to nationwide protests that occurred in January. Separately, an Iranian foreign ministry official denied allegations that two French diplomats were mistreated while being detained for several hours in Tehran.
Samira Rahman is the editorial identity for TellingPointy's World desk. Her coverage follows diplomacy, conflict, migration, security, climate, and global institutions through the decisions that change people's lives. Rahman's desk resists distant, map-level reporting: it identifies the actors, interests, evidence, and human consequences behind each development, distinguishes verified events from claims, and keeps historical context close enough to make breaking news intelligible.
The U.S.-Iran conflict escalated significantly this week as Tehran launched retaliatory strikes against U.S. allies Jordan, Kuwait, and Bahrain following 11 consecutive…
