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Saudi Arabia says Iran uranium enrichment cannot be intended for ‘peaceful’ means

Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that it is following with concern the current developments of Iran’s nuclear program, the most recent of which was the Iranian announcement of raising the level of uranium enrichment to 60 percent, which cannot be considered a program intended for peaceful uses, the Saudi Press Agency (SPA) reported on Wednesday.
Saudi Arabia and its Gulf allies, who are also worried about Iran’s ballistic missiles and regional network of proxies, had supported former US President Donald Trump’s move to quit the accord in 2018 and re-impose harsh sanctions on Iran.
Ambassador Rayed Krimly, head of policy planning at Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, says. told Reuters that any agreement that does not effectively address the concerns of states in the region would not work.
“Saudi Arabia is not interested in hindering or blocking the current negotiations ... it is interested in ensuring their success in achieving effectively the desired results,” Krimly said, adding that consultations are going on with global powers.
“We want to make sure at a minimum that any financial resources made available to Iran via the nuclear deal are not used ... to destabilize the region,” he said.
“We are going to do everything we can (so) that a nuclear deal is a starting point not an end point in this process,” he added.
“Iran will not achieve security or prosperity by nuclear blackmail,” Krimly said.
“We can begin by a nuclear deal and move on to another format that will discuss all these issues in a positive manner,” Krimly said, adding there was consensus among Arab countries and global powers on the need for expanded and inclusive talks.
“Maybe such a process can begin by confidence-building measures, by reducing tensions, by reducing the arms race in the region and then build on these steps towards a better future for all of us,” he added.
Security and stability
The Saudi official said the Kingdom, which has repeatedly faced missile and drone attacks by Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi militia, was committed to working towards sustainable peace and security but retains the right to defend itself under international law.
“Our security and stability is not something we will bargain with,” he said.
“The Kingdom calls on Iran to avoid escalation and not to subject the security and stability of the region to further tension, and to engage seriously in the current ongoing negotiations, in line with the expectations of the international community towards Iran’s utilization of its nuclear program for peaceful purposes and under the supervision of the International Atomic Energy Agency, in a manner that achieves security and stability in the region and the world, and limits From the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction,” according to a statement on SPA.
Iran confirmed Wednesday it would start producing by next week uranium enriched to 60 percent purity, days after a blast it blamed on Israel hit a key nuclear facility in Natanz.
“Modification of the process just started and we expect to accumulate the product next week” from centrifuges at Natanz, tweeted Iran’s envoy to the International Atomic Energy Agency, Kazem Gharibabadi.
“The Kingdom stresses the importance of the international community reaching an agreement with stronger and longer determinants, in a way that strengthens monitoring and control measures and ensures preventing Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons or developing the necessary capabilities for that, and takes into account the deep concern of the countries of the region about the escalatory steps that Iran is taking to destabilize regional security and stability, including Its nuclear program,” the statement by the Kingdom’s foreign ministry added.
source: Reem Krimly
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BENEFIT Sponsors BuildHer...
- April 23, 2025
BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, has sponsored the BuildHer CityHack 2025 Hackathon, a two-day event spearheaded by the College of Engineering and Technology at the Royal University for Women (RUW).
Aimed at secondary school students, the event brought together a distinguished group of academic professionals and technology experts to mentor and inspire young participants.
More than 100 high school students from across the Kingdom of Bahrain took part in the hackathon, which featured an intensive programme of training workshops and hands-on sessions. These activities were tailored to enhance participants’ critical thinking, collaborative problem-solving, and team-building capabilities, while also encouraging the development of practical and sustainable solutions to contemporary challenges using modern technological tools.
BENEFIT’s Chief Executive Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi, commented: “Our support for this educational hackathon reflects our long-term strategic vision to nurture the talents of emerging national youth and empower the next generation of accomplished female leaders in technology. By fostering creativity and innovation, we aim to contribute meaningfully to Bahrain’s comprehensive development goals and align with the aspirations outlined in the Kingdom’s Vision 2030—an ambition in which BENEFIT plays a central role.”
Professor Riyadh Yousif Hamzah, President of the Royal University for Women, commented: “This initiative reflects our commitment to advancing women in STEM fields. We're cultivating a generation of creative, solution-driven female leaders who will drive national development. Our partnership with BENEFIT exemplifies the powerful synergy between academia and private sector in supporting educational innovation.”
Hanan Abdulla Hasan, Senior Manager, PR & Communication at BENEFIT, said: “We are honoured to collaborate with RUW in supporting this remarkable technology-focused event. It highlights our commitment to social responsibility, and our ongoing efforts to enhance the digital and innovation capabilities of young Bahraini women and foster their ability to harness technological tools in the service of a smarter, more sustainable future.”
For his part, Dr. Humam ElAgha, Acting Dean of the College of Engineering and Technology at the University, said: “BuildHer CityHack 2025 embodies our hands-on approach to education. By tackling real-world problems through creative thinking and sustainable solutions, we're preparing women to thrive in the knowledge economy – a cornerstone of the University's vision.”
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