The head of the Atomic Energy Commission, the Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research, Naeem Al-Aboudi, announced that Dhi Qar Governorate is free of radioactive contamination, while stressing: 'The final declaration that Iraq is completely free of radioactive contamination will be soon.' The Ministry's media office quoted Al-Aboudi as saying in a press conference in the presence of the Governor of Dhi Qar, Murtada Abboud Al-Ibrahimi, and members of the Diwani Order Committee (23580): 'The specialized national teams in the Iraqi Atomic Energy Commission were able, with exceptional effort, to treat the contaminated military waste, which amounted to approximately two hundred tons of parts of contaminated iron ore, within a record time of thirty-four days.' He added: 'The supervisory teams at the National Nuclear, Radiological and Chemical Control Authority conducted the necessary surveys that proved that Dhi Qar Governorate is free of radioactive waste,' noting: 'The experts of the Iraqi Atomic Energy Commission are continuing the procedures to purify a number of other governorates, and the final announcement of Iraq being free of radioactive contamination will soon.' Source: National Iraqi News Agency