What Would Happen in the Middle East If Saudi Arabia Had Nuclear Weapons?

CNN Indonesia

Saturday, 30 Sep 2023 08:10 IWST

Saudi Arabia is back in the spotlight after Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MbS) indicated that his country wanted to build nuclear weapons because of being provoked by Iran. (AFP/RYAD KRAMDI)

Jakarta, CNN Indonesia —

Arab Saudi returned to the spotlight after Crown Prince Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MbS) indicated that his country wants to build weapons nuclear.

In his interview with Fox News Last week, MbS believed that Iran had nuclear weapons despite the international sanctions imposed on Tehran so far.

MbS also said that Saudi Arabia must also have nuclear weapons like Iran, its arch enemy.

“If they [Iran] get it, we have to get it,” said MbS.

MbS said Saudi needed to get nuclear for security reasons and to balance power in the Middle East.

So far only Israel is said to have nuclear power, while Iran continues to develop its nuclear program and enrich uranium to 83.7 percent.

Even though he wants these weapons, Prince MbS warned about the dangers of nuclear weapons.

“Even if Iran has nuclear weapons, [jika] there are countries that use nuclear weapons. “That means they are at war with another country,” he said.

So what would happen in the Middle East if Saudi really had nuclear weapons technology?

According to Professor of State Studies from Georgetown University Qatar, Mehran Kamrava, the emergence of a new nuclear state will only trigger a “domino effect” on other countries.

If this situation is left unchecked, said Kamrava, the world will again be faced with a geopolitical and security situation dominated by an arms race.

Kamrava also assessed that there would be other countries that would also want to have nuclear weapons if Saudi really realized this wish.

“If Saudi Arabia becomes a nuclear weapons state, it will trigger a chain reaction that will have a devastating impact on the region,” Kamrava told Sputnik.

“It’s going to have a huge impact. Of course Iran is going to go nuclear. And, of course, Israel… I think it’s going to have a domino effect. And that domino effect just bodes badly for the region, the greater the instability, and the greater the level of a different arms race,” he added.

Meanwhile, Professor of National Security Science and Director of Academic Transformation at Bowie State University, Dr. Matthew Crosston, assessed that MbS’s statement was very realistic and rational from the perspective of a country’s foreign policy.

“The Crown Prince (MbS) said openly that Saudi Arabia would need nuclear weapons if Iran had them, this was for security reasons and to balance power in the Middle East,” said Crosston.

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2023-09-30 01:10:09
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