Global Security Newswire

Dismantlement of the nuclear materials testing laboratory is under way at the Tuwaitha Nuclear Research Center in Iraq, United Press International reported yesterday (see GSN, April 25, 2006).

"This project comes as part of the ministry and government's general policy to remove pollution from the country," Iraqi Science and Technology Minister Ra'id Fahmi told the Voices of Iraq.

The Hussein regime used Tuwaitha as a crucial component of its ultimately foiled nuclear weapons program.  The Iraqi nuclear reactor at Osirak was destroyed in a 1981 Israeli air strike.

The United States announced this month that it had removed 550 metric tons of "yellowcake" uranium from Tuwaitha (see GSN, July 7; United Press International, July 8).