US to announce deal allowing Saudi Arabia to develop nuclear power

The US is due to sign a deal that will allow Saudi Arabia to develop a civilian nuclear programme - timeline of their talks.

An announcement is expected from US President Donald Trump's administration, according to CBS News, the BBC's US partner.

The deal will reportedly allow US companies to run nuclear power for the Saudis on Saudi soil.

Nuclear experts and former officials in Israel - the US's top ally in the Middle East - have warned that such an agreement could lead to Saudi Arabia being able to develop a nuclear weapon.

The fear is that if Saudi Arabia starts enriching its own uranium, hardliners in Iran could be encouraged to secretly race to build a bomb, writes our security correspondent.

The deal, which was first reported by the Wall Street Journal, would last 30 years, the newspaper says.