What’s worse than one radical Islamic nation with nuclear weapons? Two of them.

Right now, the world is abuzz with speculation over what is transpiring in the nuclear negotiations in Geneva. On one side is Iran, and across the negotiation table are the five permanent members of the UN Security Council—Russia, China, the United Kingdom, France and the United States—plus Germany. Conspicuously absent from the negotiating table are many of Iran’s adversaries in the Middle East.

Disheartened by the talks, and fearing the inevitability of Iran obtaining nuclear weapons, one nation is using this time to safeguard its national security through more extreme measures.

According to a November 6 bbc report, Saudi Arabia has purchased nuclear weapons from Pakistan. The report claims the weapons are ready to be transported at any time.

The Saudis are the main counterbalance to Iran in the region. Being the largest and wealthiest of the Sunni Arabic nations, the Saudis are constantly at loggerheads with Iran.

The battle for dominance in the Middle East is being waged on multiple fronts at the moment. In Syria, the Saudis back the rebels; Iran backs President Bashar Assad. In Iraq, Saudi Arabia backs the Sunni minority; Iran backs the Shiite majority. In Egypt, Saudi Arabia backs the military; Iran supports the Muslim Brotherhood. In Bahrain, Saudi Arabia backs the Sunni royal family; Iran backs the Shiite majority.

Though the Saudis and Iranians may not be in direct conflict, the two sides are fighting plenty of proxy wars. It is a struggle for control of the region between two factions of Islam: Shiite and Sunni.

As Iran races toward the nuclear bomb, the likelihood of a regional crisis rises. For a long time, Saudi Arabia relied on foreign powers to keep Iran in check. That changed with the election of Hassan Rouhani. Perceived as a moderate, Rouhani has the international community—particularly America, one of Saudi Arabia’s most crucial allies—falling head over heels.

Trumpet managing editor Joel Hilliker wrote: “An American reconciliation with Iran truly is a game-changer for Saudi Arabia. It absolutely shreds the U.S.-Saudi alliance. The Saudis are already speaking of a ‘major shift’ away from the U.S. One source told Reuters, ‘Saudi doesn’t want to find itself any longer in a situation where it is dependent’ on America, which it deems untrustworthy and treacherous.”

We see this mindset transformed into action as Saudi Arabia arms itself with nuclear weaponry. The Saudis know they need to remain a credible threat to Iran, which is only moments away from obtaining nuclear weapons.

A lack of confidence in the U.S. to restrain Iran is forcing Saudi Arabia to extreme measures in its own policies.

As World Politics Review put it, “Despite the high-profile disagreements between U.S. leaders and the leadership of Israel, France, Saudi Arabia and other nations, America’s friends prefer a more assertive and competent U.S. on the global stage, particularly in the Middle East.

“That doesn’t mean American allies will hold back from trying to fill the spaces left empty by the United States.”

While the Saudis would like America’s aid to keep Iran under control, King Abdullah and his princes have their own plans for the Middle East. These plans are by no means moderate.

Would a Saudi nuclear deterrent to Iran using wmd be a good thing? Considering Saudi Arabia’s history as an incubator of terrorism and its hostile stance toward Israel, it would not.

The same bbc article about the Saudi acquisition of nuclear weapons contains graphics showing surface-to-surface missile launch facilities that can target both Iran and Israel.

The Saudis obtaining nuclear weapons would undoubtedly put Israel on edge. Israel has felt the effects of American abandonment in the months following the election of Rouhani. For a second adversary to acquire nuclear weapons would only heighten Israel’s fear of its neighbors and push it closer to acting alone in stopping the proliferation of nuclear weapons.

Israel has long been suspected of having its own nuclear weapons, although it has never acknowledged this fact.

The loss of confidence in the U.S. in the Middle East is quickly turning the region into a nuclear powder keg where everyone is holding a match.

Saudi Arabia can deny its investment in nuclear weapons, and Iran can deny its attempts to build them, but one truth that always stands the test of time is that of Bible prophecy. God sheds light on what these nations are planning to do.

Daniel 11:40 speaks of Iran rising to power in the Middle East and the nations that will bow before it. (Read about it in our booklet The King of the South.)

Psalm 83 tells us that the Saudis (Ishmaelites) will outlive the king of the south and will plot to destroy Israel. (Understand this alliance against Israel by reading Gerald Flurry’s article “A Mysterious Alliance.”)

When you understand the prophecies that are destined to be fulfilled in the very near future, you can perceive why nations are acting as they do. You will be able to see that, despite some dreadful prophecies about to come to pass, there is still hope. Beyond the dark days ahead, there are numerous prophecies of peace and happiness to be fulfilled.

As nuclear proliferation threatens our very existence, take hope in the fact that Christ will return before man can destroy himself. From that time on, nuclear weapons—all weapons—will be done away with. And nations such as Saudi Arabia, Iran and Israel—once bitter enemies—will walk side by side in peaceful cooperation.