In 1972 Saudi Arabia signed and approved the convention on the prohibition of the development, production and stockpiling of biological (bacteriological) and toxin weapons.

[8][9] Saudi Arabia officially is a non-nuclear-weapon state party to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons,[10][11] and it has also an agreement with the International Atomic Energy Agency.

Besides, it appointed the Finland- and Swiss-based Poyry consultancy company to assist define "high-level strategy in the area of nuclear and renewable energy applications" with desalination.

After the 2003 U.S. invasion of Iraq The Guardian reported that Saudi Arabia renewed its interest in nuclear weapons, while in 2005 The New York Times claimed that U.S. President George W. Bush indicated to British Prime Minister Tony Blair that he was open to a preemptive invasion to prevent Saudi Arabia from acquiring nuclear weapons.

[19] A senior NATO decision maker did mention that he personally viewed intelligence reports indicating that nuclear weapons which have been manufactured in Pakistan by the request of Riyadh, are ready for delivery.

[15] Furthermore, Saudi royalty and other high-ranking officials have explicitly mentioned warnings in regards to their intention to obtain nuclear weapons if Iran were to come in possession of such weaponry.

[10][20][21][22] On March 15, 2018 Saudi defense minister and heir to the throne Prince Mohammad bin Salman made such a statement on the CBS 60 Minutes programme.

[23] In 2019 the House Committee on Oversight and Reform in the United States reported that President Donald Trump planned to provide nuclear technology to Saudi Arabia in violation of the Atomic Energy Act.

[25] The report caused widespread condemnation from both Republican and Democratic lawmakers in both houses of Congress due in part to the recent assassination of Jamal Khashoggi and the conduct of the Saudi Arabian-led intervention in Yemen.