Strengthening Nuclear Safeguards: Urgent Action Is Needed to Shore up the Ability of the International Atomic Energy Agency to Detect Nuclear Weapons Programs and Safeguard Peaceful Nuclear Programs‪.‬

As events in Iran and elsewhere illustrate, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) is confronting a crisis in its ability to detect nuclear weapons programs and to safeguard peaceful nuclear programs. This crisis stems from a number of factors: discriminatory rules in the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), inadequate application of nuclear safeguards where needed, limited authority for the IAEA to investigate possible clandestine nuclear programs, personnel rules that limit access to the best-qualified inspectors, and lack of technical resources and funding. All of these factors can be altered in ways that will strengthen the IAEA and help it do a better job. Safeguards subject civilian nuclear programs to inspection and monitoring. By doing so, safeguards shed light on a country's nuclear activities and can sound an alarm if suspicious activities are occurring.