Grossi: IAEA supports Iraq to develop its peaceful nuclear program

Although the West Asia is known as the largest gas station in the world, the countries of this region, like other regions, are looking for clean energy sources. Nuclear energy is one of these available sources.

According to Reuters news agency, Raphael Grossi, head of the International Atomic Energy Agency, announced today (Monday) after meeting with the Iraqi Prime Minister in Baghdad that the agency supports the country to develop its peaceful nuclear program.

Naeem al-Abudi, Iraq’s Minister of Education, told the media: “We consulted with the officials of the International Atomic Energy Agency about several projects in Iraq, including the construction of a nuclear reactor for peaceful purposes.”

Grossi also announced in this regard: At the same time as the requests among the countries of the region, including the countries of the Persian Gulf, to have peaceful nuclear energy, a team of Iraqi experts is going to travel to the headquarters of the Agency in Vienna in the next few days. And during this trip, a road map for the peaceful nuclear program of this country should be drawn.

He pointed out: Now we are witnessing that the countries of the West Asia, including the United Arab Emirates and Egypt, have peaceful nuclear reactors. Saudi Arabia has moved in this direction and now Iraq must witness this issue.

Iraq was the first country in the West Asia to build 3 nuclear reactors with the help of the French. However, during the war, Iran bombed these reactors out of fear of Saddam’s government building nuclear weapons. The Israeli Air Force also targeted Iraq’s main reactor in the south of Baghdad during the Osirak operation in 1981.

After Saddam’s attack on Kuwait, American forces also destroyed 2 of Saddam Hussein’s remaining reactors during an operation known as Desert Storm in 1991.