Iraq Reveals New Attempt to Build Nuclear Reactor for Research Purposes

Iraq Reveals New Attempt to Build Nuclear Reactor for Research Purposes
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Iraq Reveals New Attempt to Build Nuclear Reactor for Research Purposes

Iraq Reveals New Attempt to Build Nuclear Reactor for Research Purposes

The head of the Iraqi Radioactive Sources Regulatory Authority (IRSRA), Hussein Latif, revealed on Thursday that there is an international desire for Iraq to restore its position in nuclear science.

Latif announced the formation of a committee to build nuclear reactors for research purposes. He, told the national Iraqi News Agency (INA) that Prime Minister Mustafa Al-Kadhimi "is aware of the importance of the issue of atomic energy", having discussed it in a recent meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron.

Kadhimi is scheduled to visit France in mid-October, as part of a broad European tour. Observers do not rule out that reviving the Iraqi nuclear role will be present at Paris meetings.

France is among the most important countries that previously helped Iraq build nuclear reactors for peaceful purposes.

Latif added that Iraq is "looking forward to restoring its position in nuclear science, which it occupied in the 1970s and 1980s", highlighting a recent resolution by the UN Security Council in support of Iraq's renewed work in the nuclear field and its potential peaceful benefits.

The reactors will be able to help produce medical isotopes and pharmaceuticals, in addition to having agricultural and industrial applications such as seed irradiation, nuclear insect sterilization for pest control, and the production of radioactive isotopes with various industrial benefits, Latif explained.

Latif estimated the construction process for the reactor would take approximately five years. He added that the project would be a boon for Iraqi employment, providing training and work opportunities and help the oil-rich country move away from its dependency on fossil fuels for energy.

“This project will contribute to training Iraqi staff to work in nuclear reactors, as well as the accumulation of experience they have, which will enable them to operate power reactors in the future, as Iraq must move towards producing electricity with nuclear energy and reducing the burning of petroleum fuel,” Latif explained.



Lebanon Weighs US Deadline, Seeks Guarantees for Disarmament

President Joseph Aoun meets with US envoy Tom Barrack (Presidency handout)
President Joseph Aoun meets with US envoy Tom Barrack (Presidency handout)
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Lebanon Weighs US Deadline, Seeks Guarantees for Disarmament

President Joseph Aoun meets with US envoy Tom Barrack (Presidency handout)
President Joseph Aoun meets with US envoy Tom Barrack (Presidency handout)

Lebanese officials have been racing to formulate a response to a letter delivered by US envoy Tom Barrack during his visit to Beirut last week, in which Washington pressed Lebanon to take concrete steps towards implementing UN Security Council Resolution 1701, including the disarmament of Hezbollah.

According to information obtained by Asharq al-Awsat, the Lebanese presidential committee assigned to handle the matter held a meeting at the presidential palace on Tuesday to review the American letter.

The aim, sources said, was to reach a unified Lebanese position that upholds national interests and affirms the state’s exclusive right to bear arms.

A senior Lebanese official familiar with the committee’s work told the newspaper that President Joseph Aoun, Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, and Prime Minister Nawaf Salam had all received a copy of the US reply through an American embassy official.

The urgency of the matter prompted an emergency meeting of the three-way presidential committee to coordinate a unified national response ahead of Barrack’s expected return to Beirut later this month.

“The US message was polite in tone but firm in substance,” the official said, speaking on condition of anonymity.

“The Americans want Lebanon to set a clear timeline for the removal of all illegal weapons across the country. They expect the disarmament process to be completed by the end of the year, with the Lebanese army and security forces asserting full control over all national territory.”

While the US side appeared to acknowledge Lebanon’s complex internal dynamics and the need for national dialogue, the official said Washington viewed the six-month grace period already granted as sufficient.

“The Lebanese government is obligated to uphold the commitments made in the president’s oath of office and the ministerial statement that affirm the state’s monopoly over arms,” the source added.

“However, Lebanon will seek guarantees in return – including a full Israeli withdrawal from five occupied points in southern Lebanon, border demarcation with Israel, the release of Lebanese prisoners, a reconstruction plan for war-damaged areas, and an end to Israeli violations by land, air, and sea.”

The official also said Lebanon would demand an end to targeted assassinations of Hezbollah members, which Israel justifies as preemptive strikes.

Sending the US reply ahead of Barrack’s return, the official said, underscores Washington’s pressure on Lebanon to deliver a clear position on the future of Hezbollah’s weapons.

A Lebanese cabinet source told Asharq al-Awsat that the preemptive American move was intended to give Beirut time to study and respond to the proposal, allowing space for amendments or objections.

“The US message is focused on securing a decisive Lebanese stance on a timeline for disarming Hezbollah and Palestinian factions, as well as the removal of all illegal arms,” the source said.

“Washington also wants a concrete implementation mechanism to prevent any backtracking, as happened after Resolution 1701 was adopted in 2006 – when Hezbollah sidestepped its obligations and rebuilt its arsenal.”

The source acknowledged that any final decision will require dialogue with key domestic players, particularly Hezbollah, but stressed that the official stance must ultimately come from the president and the government.