"Saudi Arabia could spark a nuclear arms race in the Middle East"

Although it seems that Iran fulfills the conditions of its nuclear pact, the Israeli badyst Ronen Dangoor believes that Saudi Arabia could fulfill its wishes in this area because "it has enough ambitions and fundsas he wrote in The National Interest magazine,

To support his thesis, this former Israeli researcher mentions two recent events: the ceremony that began the construction of the first nuclear research reactor in Saudi Arabia and the fact that Saudi Arabia will launch a program of Uranium exploration.

For years, Riyadh warned that it would not hinder its nuclear ambitions if it felt that its national security was at risk or if Tehran was developing its nuclear program. It was even badumed that Pakistan had agreed to provide it with nuclear weapons ready for use if necessary.

Standard conditions

In the last decade, the Saudis have considered buy 16 nuclear reactors at the end of the day, they were two and were acquiring uranium enrichment capabilities – preferably the United States – to meet future demand for additional sources of energy.

During negotiations on this operation, the government of the former President of the United States, Barack Obama, insisted that Riyadh meet the usual conditions imposed on the United Arab Emirates in 2009: do not enrich uranium and do not produce plutonium. The current US Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo, ensures that the Trump administration maintains this policy.

However, last March, Mohamed bin Salman, Crown Prince, Saudi Deputy Prime Minister and Defense Minister, said in an interview with the US network CBS: "Without doubt, if Iran is developing a nuclear bomb, we will do the same thing as fast as possible. "

"A dictator" de facto "to illusions of greatness"

After the murder of dissident journalist Jamal Khashoggi at the consulate of Saudi Arabia in Istanbul, Turkey on October 2, several US senators met. they urged the tenant of the White House to give up the intention to sell nuclear reactors in Riyadh.

Dangoor believes that "this step is necessary" but "that's not enough" because the Saudis could "look for an alternative option" and could create a challenge for the Trump administration.

This specialist indicates that the situation includes "all the necessary components": "A dictator & # 39; de facto & # 39; with illusions of grandeur and carelessness with total control of security services, unlimited funds for this purpose, a sense of isolation, acute threat and long – term nuclear ambitions. "

Thus, Saudi Arabia's "one step" in this direction "could cause a nuclear arms race in the Middle East", with which Washington must "warn and restrain" Mohamed bin Salman and "carefully monitor the links and the nuclear activities "in his country, concludes Ronen Dangoor.