Iraq Submits Report on the Safety of Spent Fuel and Radioactive Waste

 
Baghdad – INA
 
Iraq submitted its first national report on the safety of spent fuel management and radioactive waste during the eighth review meeting of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).
 
A statement from the media office of The National Nuclear, Radiological, Chemical and Biological Regulatory Commission-INRC, received by the Iraqi News Agency (INA), stated that “a delegation from the Republic of Iraq presented its first national report on compliance with the provisions of the Joint Convention on the Safety of Spent Fuel Management and the Safety of Radioactive Waste Management, during the eighth review meeting of the contracting parties to the convention, organized by the IAEA at its headquarters in Vienna, Austria, from March 17 to 28, 2025.”
 
The statement added that “the Iraqi delegation is led by Fadel Hawi Mezban, President of INRC, in his capacity as the rapporteur for Group Five under the Joint Convention on the Safety of Spent Fuel Management and the Safety of Radioactive Waste Management. The delegation also includes experts and specialists from representatives of the National Authority for Nuclear, Radiological, Chemical, and Biological Protection, the Iraqi Atomic Energy Commission, and the Permanent Mission of the Republic of Iraq in Vienna.”
The President of the National Authority confirmed that “the Republic of Iraq continues to adhere to nuclear safety and security standards in line with its commitments under international instruments and treaties to which Iraq is a party,” pointing out that “participating in the eighth meeting on compliance with the Joint Convention on the Safety of Spent Fuel Management and the Safety of Radioactive Waste Management reflects Iraq’s national commitment to international requirements and ongoing efforts in the safe management of radioactive waste.”
 
Hawi further stated that “the effective national legislative and regulatory framework, reflected in the enactment of the National Authority Law No. 1 of 2024, the developments in the nuclear and radiological safety regulatory infrastructure, and the updating of national radioactive waste strategies, have strengthened the national position aimed at ensuring safety for humans and protecting the environment.”
 
The statement continued that “the Iraqi delegation reviewed, as part of the report, the current status of radioactive waste resulting from activities related to decommissioning previous nuclear facilities, radiation practices in medical and industrial sectors, site remediation, and national efforts in building the operational and regulatory capacities in this field.”
 
It clarified that “the national report highlights the legislative, regulatory, and technical measures currently taken by the Republic of Iraq to comply with its obligations under the Joint Convention, as well as future plans and measures for designing, constructing, and operating facilities for the management and disposal of radioactive waste.”
 
The report also noted that “Iraq became a contracting party to the Nuclear Safety Convention in 2023 under Law No. 7 of 2023, which was issued in May 2023, and this accession came into effect in February 2024. The goal of the convention is to ensure commitments between the contracting parties and to continue maintaining the highest safety standards through the application of safety standards for the management of spent fuel and radioactive waste.”