RIYADH: Saudi Arabia took part in an international exercise organized by the UN nuclear watchdog agency to practice for a severe nuclear emergency. The ConvEx-3 drill was held at the UAE’s Barakah nuclear plant on Tuesday and included 76 member states of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), in addition to 12 international organizations, SPA reported. The 36-hour exercise was one of the most complex emergency exercise organized by the IAEA in terms of the diversity of procedures. The exercise tested the national system for preparedness and response to a nuclear emergency. It also highlighted the Kingdom’s capabilities to respond to this type of nuclear accident at the international level. The event was held under the chairmanship of the General Directorate of Civil Defense. As a result of the drill, recommendations included a number of procedures related to communication with the Saudi embassy in the UAE and foreign embassies inside the Kingdom.  They also included tightening security measures at Al-Batha port on the Saudi-Emirati border, and intensifying operations to monitor contaminated food and goods entering and leaving through the port.