Saudi Inches Towards Nuclear Capabilities

Saudi Arabia announced the establishment of a new renewable energy complex on Saturday, effectively confirming the country’s interest in nuclear energy. The King Abdullah City for Nuclear and Renewable Energy, set to be established in the Saudi capital Riyadh, will according to a royal decree be tasked with the research and application of nuclear technology and oversee all aspects of a nuclear power industry, the official Saudi Press Agency reported. In an effort to diversify the country’s oil-based energy industry, Saudi Arabia has been experimenting with alternative energies such as solar power. Nuclear power is a growing focus area. Analysts warn, however, that politics may have played a major role in the Saudi decision to focus on nuclear technology, as the kingdom’s leaders feel increasingly threatened by the specter of a nuclear Iran. Iran maintains its nuclear program is intended for peaceful nuclear energy, but there are fears that the country’s leadership’s true intention is to manufacture nuclear weapons.
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