International Atomic Energy Agency:
The head of the UN’s nuclear watchdog International Atomic Energy Agency has said a team of its inspectors are “back in Iran,”
- It is the world’s leading intergovernmental organisation for scientific and technical cooperation in the nuclear field.
- The IAEA Statute was approved on 23 October 1956 and came into force on 29 July 1957.
- It is an autonomous organization within the United Nations system.
- It reports to both the United Nations General Assembly and the UN Security Council.
- Its primary goal is to ensure that nuclear energy is not diverted for weapons purposes.
- Member Countries: The agency currently has 180 member states, reflecting its wide international mandate and credibility.
- Institutional Structure of the IAEA
- General Conference: The General Conference, composed of all member states, meets annually to approve budgets and set general policy directions.
- Board of Governors: The Board of Governors, comprising 35 members, meets about five times a year to: Approve safeguards agreements, Carry out statutory functions, and Appoint the Director General.
- Secretariat: The Secretariat, led by the Director General, handles the IAEA’s daily operations.
- Functions of the IAEA
- The IAEA works to ensure that nuclear technology is used solely for peaceful purposes.
- It applies comprehensive nuclear safeguards, including: Monitoring, On-site inspections, Information analysis, and Other techniques to verify peaceful use.
- Headquarters: Vienna, Austria.
