Saudi Arabia makes nuclear experiments

Riyadh: Saudi Arabia is experimenting with nuclear energy, the Saudi ambassador in Kuwait said in remarks published on Wednesday.

"But the kingdom is not seeking to possess nuclear weapons," Ambassador Abdul Aziz Al Fayez was quoted as saying in an interview with Al Qabas daily.

The experiments were in "the field of nuclear energy", he said without elaborating.

However, authorities at the King Abdul Aziz City, a research facility in Riyadh were the experiments are taking place, said that the nuclear work was not connected to energy production, but was for medical purposes and industrial radiography.

The report comes as neighbouring Iran faces sanctions from the United Nations over its nuclear programme. Tehran has refused to suspend uranium enrichment despite international calls for it to stop.

The United States and its European allies believe Iran is using its enrichment programme to create nuclear weapons in secret.