By Raoul Cardellini Leipertz. Last spring, a lone Russian satellite drifting through an unexpected low Earth orbit set off alarms from Washington to Brussels. Was it an innocuous on-orbit experiment or the first sign of an exo-atmospheric strike platform? Although officials later softened the most sensational claims, the incident exposed a deeper and far more persistent concern. Space law may...
Read MoreNew Perspectives on Nuclear Verification
“New Perspectives on Nuclear Verification” is a blog series designed to bring the next generation of ideas and voices into this debate. We believe that early career researchers (that is, postgraduate researchers, and advanced students) as well as young professionals are uniquely positioned to rethink established assumptions and connect insights across disciplines and regions. Their work captures shifts in technology, society, and international politics at an early stage, offering novel approaches that established debates might overlook.
Each contribution (300–500 words) will introduce a key question, argument, concept, or case study related to nuclear verification, spanning both nonproliferation and disarmament. Authors are encouraged to bridge technical and social sciences and to highlight regional experiences from around the world. Articles will be published on a rolling basis and made available through VeSPoTec’s and INEF’s websites and social media channels.
Compliance Conundrums and the Credibility of the IAEA
By Sanaa Alvira. In June 2025, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Board of Governors found Iran to be in non-compliance with its safeguards obligations for the first time in nearly two decades. This finding seemed to mark the beginning of a serious escalation in a long-simmering conflict regarding Iran’s nuclear programme and culminated in military airstrikes on Iran’s nuclear...
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Too much information, too little IAEA: How can OSINT contribute to Nuclear Verification?
By Philipp Fischer. Nuclear verification is a critical component of global security, ensuring compliance with international treaties and preventing the proliferation of nuclear weapons. However, verification efforts are facing growing challenges due to technological advances and geopolitical tensions. Open-source intelligence (OSINT), based on publicly available data, offers a powerful complement to traditional verification methods by increasing transparency and improving detection...
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Introducing VeSPoTec and INEF’s new blogs series
By Leonardo Bandarra. “New Perspectives on Nuclear Verification” is a blog series designed to bring the next generation of ideas and voices into this debate. We believe that early career researchers (that is, postgraduate researchers, and advanced students) as well as young professionals are uniquely positioned to rethink established assumptions and connect insights across disciplines and regions. Their work captures...
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