Armenia uses radioactive substances as a tool for threats, Azerbaijani MP Arzu Naghiyev told Trend.

“For Armenia, aggression and terrorism have always been at the level of state policy. Armenia uses extremism and radicalism to threaten other countries,” Naghiyev said.

“As known, recently, one of the components of terrorism and extremism is the nuclear threat. In recent years, radical forces using these methods have threatened to carry out radiation contamination and start a nuclear war using nuclear warheads, other weapons of this type, and their components. The smuggling of radioactive substances in Armenia is carried out at the state level. But where can they get these substances from? I believe that their source is the Metsamor Nuclear Power Plant (NPP),” the MP noted.

“This nuclear power plant is the most serious threat to Azerbaijan, the South Caucasus, and other countries of the region as a whole. It poses a direct threat to the security of the region. The EU has repeatedly raised the issue of liquidating this station at the expense of appropriate funds - it was about 3-4 billion euros. But the Armenians approached this issue from the point of view of bargaining, that is, they demanded more money,” Naghiyev stressed.

“Armenia is unable to build a new nuclear power plant as its collapsed economy has no potential for a project worth $4-5 billion. They claim that they will allegedly restore the Metsamor NPP, and in this regard, they turn to the appropriate structures for financing. However, their main goal is to use radioactive waste as a tool for threats, carry out terrorist operations using radiation, create a threat to regional security,” the MP said.

“Over the past 3-4 years, there have been several cases of smuggling of radioactive substances by Armenia both on the border with Georgia and in other directions,” the Azerbaijani MP noted.

“This is the Armenian policy of terror and radicalism. They cannot get radioactive substances from somewhere else - this has definitely to do with the Metsamor NPP. The Armenian side itself has repeatedly admitted that the plant is outdated. The Armenian population living near this NPP has repeatedly held rallies, claiming radioactive leaks, facts of theft of radioactive substances by criminal groups,” Naghiyev added.