IAEA Expands Nuclear Safeguards as Global Oversight Grows

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) carried out one of its largest nuclear verification efforts in 2025, reinforcing its role in ensuring that nuclear material and technology remain dedicated to peaceful purposes. According to the agency's newly released Safeguards Implementation Report for 2025, inspectors implemented safeguards in 190 States with agreements in force, conducting nearly 3,000 verification activities across more than 1,400 nuclear facilities and locations outside facilities (LOFs).

The extensive inspection programme enabled the IAEA to draw safeguards conclusions for 179 countries. These annual findings provide governments and the international community with independent confirmation that nuclear material is being used in line with international commitments. IAEA Deputy Director General and Head of the Department of Safeguards, Massimo Aparo, said the agency continues to deliver credible verification despite geopolitical tensions and resource pressures, helping strengthen confidence that nuclear material is not diverted to weapons programmes.

Most Countries Meet Peaceful Use Commitments

Among the 190 States covered by safeguards during 2025, 182 had Comprehensive Safeguards Agreements in force, while 138 of those had also implemented Additional Protocols that give inspectors broader access and verification powers. The IAEA concluded that all nuclear material remained in peaceful activities in 75 of these countries. For another 63 States, the agency confirmed that declared nuclear material remained in peaceful use while continuing evaluations to determine whether any undeclared nuclear material or activities existed.

Another 32 countries operating under Comprehensive Safeguards Agreements without Additional Protocols also received conclusions confirming that declared nuclear material remained dedicated to peaceful activities.

Progress was also recorded in updating Small Quantities Protocols, which apply to countries with little or no nuclear activity. Grenada, Kyrgyzstan, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, and Zambia adopted revised protocols during 2025, reducing the number of countries still using the older framework to just 11. The updated agreements improve the agency's ability to provide reliable safeguards conclusions.

For India, Israel and Pakistan, which operate under item-specific safeguards agreements, the IAEA concluded that safeguarded nuclear material, facilities and related items remained in peaceful activities. Similar conclusions were reached for the five nuclear-weapon States recognised under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, covering safeguarded material in selected facilities.

Growing Nuclear Sector Brings New Challenges

The report also addresses the agency's work in Iran. While inspectors found no indication that declared nuclear material had been diverted or that undeclared nuclear production had taken place at facilities unaffected by military strikes carried out in June 2025, the IAEA could not verify nuclear material previously declared at sites damaged during those attacks. As a result, the agency said it could not reach a safeguards conclusion regarding that material, noting that the situation raises proliferation concerns because it includes a significant quantity of highly enriched uranium.

The report points to rising demand for safeguards worldwide as nuclear programmes continue expanding. Between 2015 and 2025, the volume of nuclear material under safeguards increased by nearly 25 percent, while the number of nuclear facilities and other locations requiring verification grew by around 10 percent. The emergence of advanced reactor technologies and new nuclear applications is also creating fresh verification requirements, making it increasingly important for the IAEA to adapt its inspection methods and maintain confidence in the peaceful use of nuclear energy.