Saudi Arabia has claimed the discovery of approximately 110 million tons of ore rich in uranium and rare minerals in the Madinah region of the country.

Energy Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman announced that these ores were found through exploration and geological surveys in the Jabal Sayid project area of Madinah.

Various media outlets reported this information on Monday (September 14), citing the minister.

According to a report by the Saudi media outlet Arab News, the identified ore contains a high concentration of heavy rare earth minerals.

Furthermore, it indicates the presence of significant amounts of uranium.

This discovery is viewed as significant amid Saudi Arabia's ongoing initiatives to diversify its energy and mineral resources away from an oil-dependent economy.

Under the "Vision 2030" program led by Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman, the country has undertaken initiatives for domestic uranium extraction and civilian nuclear power generation.

Saudi Arabia's announcement carries special significance amidst the ongoing instability in the Middle East.

The country has a long-standing regional rivalry with Iran.

Due to the presence of US military bases on Saudi soil, the nation remains a potential target for Iran.

Simultaneously, maritime communication in the Red Sea for Saudi Arabia faces pressure due to the activities of Houthi rebels in Yemen.

Concerns from the US and Israel surrounding Iran's nuclear program are also one of the underlying causes of the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.

They claim that Iran is moving toward weapon manufacturing through its nuclear program.

However, Tehran has consistently maintained that its program is for peaceful and civilian purposes.

Meanwhile, the claim of discovering uranium-rich ore in Madinah has come to light during a time of strengthened US-Saudi civil nuclear cooperation.

In July, the two nations signed an agreement to develop a civil nuclear program, alongside a bilateral security pact.

Under the agreement, US companies will assist in developing Saudi Arabia's civilian nuclear fuel program.

At the same time, Saudi Arabia will have the opportunity to enrich uranium on its own territory without direct US oversight.

However, the actual uranium reserves and the commercially extractable quantity of the ore found in Madinah will only be confirmed after more detailed exploration and evaluation.