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Syria Places 73 Tonnes of Uranium Under IAEA Safeguards

Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani recently announced that Damascus has placed 73 tonnes of natural uranium under International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) supervision, marking the closure of Syria's 15-year nuclear non-compliance file and the beginning of renewed cooperation with the watchdog. According to the Syrian state news agency SANA, al-Shaibani told the IAEA General Conference via video that the Board of Governors unanimously decided on September 9 to close Syria's nuclear file. The file had remained open since 2011. He noted that Damascus sent an official letter to the IAEA on July 17 disclosing that it possessed nuclear material at an undeclared location, and subsequently on July...

2026-09-16

Pakistan Signs Safeguards Agreement with IAEA for Chashma Nuclear Power Plant Unit 5

On Tuesday, September 15, during the 70th Regular Session of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) General Conference, the Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission (PAEC) and the IAEA formally signed the Safeguards Agreement for Chashma Nuclear Power Plant Unit 5 (C-5) at the IAEA headquarters in Vienna. The agreement had been unanimously approved at the IAEA Board of Governors meeting in March 2026. The signing of this agreement marks an important step forward in the safeguards work for the Chashma Nuclear Power Plant Unit 5 project, and also reflects the international community's continued confidence in Pakistan's commitment to the peaceful uses of nuclear energy and its fulfillment of international non-proliferation and safeguards obligations. According to the Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission...

2026-09-16

South Korea Notifies IAEA of Intention to Consult on Safeguards Arrangements for Nuclear-Powered Submarine

International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director General Rafael Grossi said Monday at the agency's Board of Governors meeting in Vienna that South Korea has formally notified the IAEA of its intention to consult with the agency on safeguards arrangements for its envisioned nuclear-powered submarine program. Grossi stated that South Korea has notified the IAEA Secretariat of its intent to discuss relevant arrangements pursuant to Article 14 of its Comprehensive Safeguards Agreement (CSA). This provision allows a country to use nuclear material for non-prohibited military purposes, such as naval nuclear propulsion, under arrangements concluded with the IAEA. It was noted that South Korea also reaffirmed its continued commitment to fulfilling its obligations under the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT), the Comprehensive Safeguards Agre...

2026-09-08

Destroyed Syrian Nuclear Reactor May Have Had Capability to Produce Nuclear Weapons Material

International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director General Rafael Grossi said on September 7 that a Syrian nuclear reactor, which was destroyed in an Israeli airstrike in 2007 while it was nearly complete, was of a type capable of relatively quickly producing fissile material that could be used in nuclear weapons. The IAEA recently concluded its investigation into Syria's past covert nuclear activities. The investigation found approximately 73 tons of natural uranium metal, primarily in the form of reactor fuel. In a report submitted to member states, the agency confirmed that its previous assessment remained unchanged: the destroyed facility in Deir ez-Zor Province in eastern Syria was a nuclear reactor under construction, and the associated fuel had also been manufactured within Syria.

2026-09-08

UK National Nuclear Laboratory Secures Nuclear Safeguards Programme Contract

The UK National Nuclear Laboratory (UKNNL) has been awarded the Nuclear Safeguards Programme (NSP) contract by the UK Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ). The contract has an initial term of 3.5 years with committed funding of £10.5 million, with the possibility of further extensions. This contract continues the UK's 45 years of support for the global nuclear safeguards system, as well as the UK National Nuclear Laboratory's nearly 20 years of core work within that system. The UK National Nuclear Laboratory's responsibilities include providing technical support to the UK government in the nuclear field and driving the development of the UK's nuclear energy industry. The Nuclear Safeguards Programme is an important platform for fulfilling this responsibility, primarily providing nuclear safeguards and non-proliferation expertise to UK government departments and international partners...

2026-08-16

Public Security Ministry's Economic Security Department holds thematic conference on national security safeguards for nuclear energy in Khanh Hoa Province

On the morning of August 14, the Economic Security Department of the Ministry of Public Security, in coordination with the Khanh Hoa Provincial Police Department, held a thematic conference to assess national security safeguards in the process of Vietnam's nuclear energy development. The conference was co-chaired by Lieutenant General Nguyen Sy Quang, Director of the Economic Security Department of the Ministry of Public Security, and Major General Nguyen Huu Phuc, Director of the Khanh Hoa Provincial Police Department. Representatives from relevant professional units of the Ministry of Public Security, Lam Dong Provincial police authorities, Dong Nai City police authorities, relevant departments of the Khanh Hoa Provincial Police Department, and grassroots police forces in Phuoc Vinh and Vinh Hai attended the conference. The conference focused on discussing the potential impacts of nuclear energy development on national security, social order, and public safety, and assessed the role of nuclear power in Vietnam's national energy development strategy from the perspective of energy security.

2026-08-15

UK Office for Nuclear Regulation Publishes New Safeguards Guidance

The UK Office for Nuclear Regulation (ONR) published updated guidance on 10 August to help nuclear facility operators meet new requirements under the Nuclear Safeguards (EU Exit and Fees) (Amendment) Regulations 2026. The amending regulations, which came into force in July this year, are regarded as a significant adjustment to the UK's nuclear safeguards regime. Safeguards measures are primarily used to verify whether a state complies with its international obligations, ensuring that nuclear materials in civil nuclear programmes are not diverted to non-peaceful purposes. The amendment modernises safeguards reporting requirements, with operators transitioning from the previous basic technical characteristics reports to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) standardized design information questionnaire. The new regulations also...

2026-08-11