U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Mike Waltz on Sunday defended the Trump administration's newly signed civilian nuclear agreement with Saudi Arabia, insisting the deal does not permit uranium enrichment and sharply distinguishing it from Iran's nuclear program amid growing concerns on Capitol Hill, Politico reported.

Waltz said the agreement is strictly limited to civilian nuclear energy and does not transfer sensitive enrichment technology to the kingdom, telling NBC's "Meet the Press" that "there is no enrichment envisioned in this plan." 

He reiterated the point on "Fox News Sunday," saying that "we are not exporting enrichment capability to the Saudis. These are civilian nuclear power plants, as the Saudis look to diversify. But the difference is, they've signed up for full inspections. There is no enrichment."

Waltz said the U.S. has not exported nuclear reactor technology in decades and stressed that any cooperation with Saudi Arabia would remain subject to strict oversight.

"We haven't sold our nuclear technology in terms of small modular reactors, microreactors, large reactors, in many, many decades," he said, adding that discussions over the implementation of the agreement are continuing even though its core framework has been established.

The Trump administration announced last week that Energy Secretary Chris Wright and Saudi Energy Minister Abdulaziz bin Salman signed a landmark civil nuclear cooperation agreement that will let American nuclear companies pursue commercial opportunities in the Saudi market, Politico reported.

The Department of Energy has not released detailed terms of the agreement, leaving lawmakers seeking additional information about safeguards and implementation.

Waltz rejected comparisons between the Saudi agreement and Iran's nuclear activities, arguing the two programs differ fundamentally in both purpose and transparency.

"What will set off a nuclear arms race ... is if Iran tests a nuclear weapon," Waltz told "Meet the Press."

He accused Tehran of pursuing capabilities that exceed civilian energy needs.

"The difference is Iran is enriching to weapons' level that it doesn't need to do," Waltz said. "Iran is burying it, which no other country in the world does, hundreds of feet underground, under hardened military infrastructure. Iran is trying to shield it with a conventional drone and missile shield."

Waltz also cited repeated threats by Iranian leaders against Israel and the West as evidence that Tehran's nuclear ambitions cannot be equated with Saudi Arabia's civilian energy program.