New satellite imagery of a building site for a nuclear power plant outside Riyadh has sparked consternation from the United States. The construction on an experimental reactor “is making expeditious progress” after Saudi Arabia’s plan to build it was announced, according to former director for nuclear inspections at the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Robert Kelley, speaking to CNN. U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo had earlier expressed concern about the kingdom becoming a nuclear power. “We will not permit that to happen,” Pompeo told CBS. “We will not permit that to happen anywhere in the world. The President understands the threat of proliferation. We will never write a $150 million check to the Saudis and hand them over the capacity to threaten Israel and the United States with nuclear weapons, never.”
