How the IAEA verifies if a country’s nuclear program is peaceful or not: The legal basis

4 September 2018 • 
Briefs and Factsheets, Non-Proliferation, Nuclear Safeguards, Publications
VCDNP Executive Director Laura Rockwood details the nuts and bolts of IAEA nuclear verification in an article published in the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists.
Share this:

A new article in the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists by VCDNP Executive Director Laura Rockwood describes the IAEA's complex work in verifying the peaceful nature of a state's nuclear activities. The article, published 31 August 2018, draws upon Ms. Rockwood's rich experience as the Section Head for Non-Proliferation and Policy Making in the Office of Legal Affairs at the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).

Abstract: With the nuclear efforts of North Korea in the news, along with the ups and downs of the Iran agreement, there have been more and more articles in the popular press about nuclear inspections, safeguards, and verification of nuclear weapons agreements. But what are the nuts and bolts behind how one goes about ensuring that a nuclear deal is being adhered to? How do inspectors know if a nuclear program is peaceful or not – especially without unfettered access to every single last part of all the components of the program? Here, the author describes how the International Atomic Energy Agency pulls together the various pieces of the puzzle to achieve a comprehensive picture of a state’s nuclear program and detect any anomalies that might hint of ambitions towards nuclear weaponry.

The full article is available behind a paywall through Taylor and Francis.


Related Experts

Laura Rockwood
Non-Resident Senior Fellow

Related Content

(Less Than) Two Minutes To Midnight

11 December 2020 • 
VCDNP Senior Fellow Angela Kane chaired a panel discussion under the auspices of the Astana Club Global Security Meeting on 19 November 2020 entitled "100 Seconds Before Midnight: Strategic Timing for Resumption of Nuclear Dialogue."
Read more

Dr. Nikolai Sokov on the Risk of Nuclear Escalation

10 August 2022 • 
VCDNP Senior Fellow Dr. Nikolai Sokov warns of Russian-Western nuclear war in an appearance on NHK Global.
Read more
1 2 3 102
cross
linkedin facebook pinterest youtube rss twitter instagram facebook-blank rss-blank linkedin-blank pinterest youtube twitter instagram