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IRAN: Deal Could Start a Nuclear Fuel Race in Saudi Arabia

Published On March 16, 2015 | News

A senior member of the Saudi royal family has warned that a deal on Iran’s nuclear program could prompt other regional states to develop atomic fuel. At this time, six world powers are negotiating an agreement aimed at limiting Iran’s nuclear activity, but not ending it. Some of the critics have argued this would trigger a nuclear arms race in the region spurred on by Saudi-Iran rivalry.

With a late March deadline for an Iran deal approaching, Saudi Arabia last week signed a nuclear co-operation agreement with South Korea that included a plan to study the feasibility of building two nuclear reactors in the kingdom

Of most concern to Saudi Arabia is Iran’s backing of Iraqi Shia militias in the fight against Islamic State (IS) militants. That role has become more public during the battle over the Iraqi city of Tikrit, with General Qasem Soleimani, commander of the Iranian Revolutionary Guards’ Quds Force, stepping out of the shadows to openly guide Shia forces.

Iran and the P5+1 — the US, Russia, China, Britain, France and Germany — are currently engaged in negotiations that would see an easing of economic sanctions vis-a-vis the Islamic Republic in exchange for some compromise on its controversial nuclear program. Diplomats hope to arrive at an accord with Tehran by March 31, and to fine-tune the details by July 1. Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammed Javad Zarif was set to continue talks with counterparts from the six powers, as well as the EU, on Monday in Switzerland, as officials indicated a deal may be only a few days off.

Fearful Iran could be playing for time, Obama, Kerry and various officials have vowed to walk away from the talks if they show no sign of pointing toward a satisfactory agreement. And they’ve repeatedly stressed that “no deal is better than a bad deal.”

Sources:

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-31901961

http://www.timesofisrael.com/saudis-warn-iran-deal-may-spur-middle-east-nuclear-race/

http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4637406,00.html

http://www.nigeriatell.com/news/saudi-warning-on-iran-nuclear-deal

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