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Iraq enters Arab nuclear emergency group over worries of radiological impact
Baghdad ( – The nuclear regulatory body in Iraq announced on Wednesday the establishment of a united Arab crisis cell aiming to prepare for potential nuclear emergencies.
This initiative comes in response to escalating regional tensions regarding possible US strikes on nuclear sites in Iran.
The effort, which involves regulatory authorities from around the Arab world, was formally launched during a virtual conference presided over by the Director-General of the Arab Atomic Energy Agency, Salem Al-Hamdi, according to a statement cited by the Iraqi News Agency (INA).
Iraq is represented by Deputy Director of the National Authority for Nuclear, Radiological, Chemical, and Biological Control and Chairperson of the Arab Network of Nuclear Regulatory Bodies (ANNuR), Sabah Al-Husseini.
Officials from Jordan, Lebanon, Yemen, Kuwait, Libya, Bahrain, Tunisia, and Sudan attending the meeting decided to set up a regional operations center to allow immediate tracking and crisis communication.
The initiative will provide prompt notification and coordination for any unusual radiation levels.
The step follows concerns that Israel or the United States may strike Iranian nuclear facilities, which are less than 1,000 kilometers from Baghdad and even closer to major cities in the Kurdistan region of Iraq.
