Iran invites IAEA chief for talks

Q What is the context  ?

A Iran has invited the head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) for talks after the UN official expressed concern over a lack of contact with Iranian authorities.

Q What is IAEA?

A 

• The IAEA is an international organization that seeks to promote the peaceful use of nuclear energy and to inhibit its use for any military purpose, including nuclear weapons.
• As the dominant nuclear watchdog under the UN, the IAEA is entrusted with the task of upholding the principles of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) of 1970.
• It was established as an autonomous organization on July 29, 1957, at the height of the Cold War between the U.S. and the Soviet Union.
• Though established independently of the UN through its own international treaty, the agency reports to both the UN General Assembly and the UNSC.

Q What are IAEA Missions ?

 A The IAEA is generally described as having three main missions:

• Peaceful uses: Promoting the peaceful uses of nuclear energy by its member states,
• Safeguards: Implementing safeguards to verify that nuclear energy is not used for military purposes, and
• Nuclear safety: Promoting high standards for nuclear safety

Q What are its safeguards?

A 

• Safeguards are activities by which the IAEA can verify that a State is living up to its international commitments not to use nuclear programs for nuclear weapons purposes.
• Safeguards are based on assessments of the correctness and completeness of a State’s declared nuclear material and nuclear-related activities.
• Verification measures include on-site inspections, visits, and ongoing monitoring and evaluation.

Basically, two sets of measures are carried out in accordance with the type of safeguards agreements in force with a State.

1. Verifying state reports of declared nuclear material and activities.
2. Verifying the non-diversion of declared nuclear material and providing assurances as to the absence of undeclared nuclear material and activities in a State.

Q What is Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) ?

A 

• The NPT is a landmark international treaty whose objective is to prevent the spread of nuclear weapons and weapons technology, to promote cooperation in the peaceful uses of nuclear energy.
• The Treaty represents the only binding commitment in a multilateral treaty to the goal of disarmament by the nuclear-weapon States.
• Opened for signature in 1968, the Treaty entered into force in 1970.
• India is one of the only five countries that either did not sign the NPT or signed but withdrew, thus becoming part of a list that includes Pakistan, Israel, North Korea, and South Sudan.
• India always considered the NPT as discriminatory and had refused to sign it.