Saudi Arabia preparing to grant IAEA more powers, Grossi says
A planned US-Saudi atomic deal does not include Riyadh signing the International Atomic Energy Agency’s (IAEA) Additional Protocol that gives the UN nuclear watchdog sweeping inspection powers, but something close to it on some points is in the works, the agency’s chief said on Monday. The US and Saudi Arabia reached an agreement on civil nuclear power cooperation in July that would let Riyadh…
Saudi Arabia is set to grant the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) enhanced powers, according to IAEA chief Rafael Grossi. The planned US-Saudi atomic deal, signed in July, permits Riyadh to enrich uranium and construct reactors with US technology. However, this agreement does not incorporate the IAEA's Additional Protocol, which grants the UN nuclear watchdog extensive inspection capabilities, such as the ability to conduct surprise inspections at undisclosed locations.
Non-proliferation advocates, like the Arms Control Association, have expressed concerns over this omission. Nevertheless, Grossi revealed that the IAEA is working to incorporate provisions into the bilateral agreement with Saudi Arabia that will grant the agency additional verification and monitoring authorizations. These authorizations will apply to sensitive activities like uranium enrichment, uranium conversion, and reprocessing, which separate plutonium from spent reactor fuel.
Grossi emphasized that these measures will be comparable to those found in an Additional Protocol, even though the plan does not fully mirror its provisions. Once the details are finalized, the agreement between the IAEA and Saudi Arabia will be submitted to the IAEA's 35-nation Board of Governors.
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