Nuclear energy expansion in the Middle East

Abstract

A statement on 31 October by a senior official of the International Atomic Energy Agency, indicating that six Arab states have shown interest in nuclear power, has provoked concerns that Iran’s apparent pursuit of nuclear weapons capabilities may be prompting some of its neighbours to think about doing the same. Building up a nuclear power infrastructure might be part of a future hedging strategy. However, it is important to distinguish between the proliferation-prone parts of the nuclear fuel cycle that give rise to fears about Iran’s intentions – uranium enrichment and plutonium reprocessing – and the benign civil nuclear energy purposes that have been under study in the Middle East for some time.