In a statement, the US State Department said: The United States and Bahrain signed a deal Monday on peaceful nuclear energy cooperation, as a model for the Middle East that contrasts with Iran’s own atomic program, French news agency (AFP) reported from Washington.

The memorandum of understanding (MOU) on nuclear energy cooperation was signed by US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and her Bahraini counterpart Sheikh Khalid bin Ahmed al-Khalifa, the State Department said.
The MOU is a “tangible expression of the United States’ desire to cooperate with states in the Middle East, and elsewhere, that want to develop peaceful nuclear power in a manner consistent with the highest standards of safety, security and nonproliferation and thereby serve as models for the responsible pursuit of the benefits of nuclear technology,” the statement said.

“This MOU reflects Bahrain’s commitment to serve as a model in the region,” the statement said.

“In particular, Bahrain affirmed its intention to forgo sensitive fuel cycle technologies and rely on existing international markets for nuclear fuel. This stands in direct contrast to Iran’s nuclear activities,” the statement said.