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Nuclear Safeguards Education Portal

Assurance of non-diversion of nuclear material

Photo related to the term with caption below

An IAEA Safeguards inspector checks piles of transport container for fresh fuel during a training exercise.

(Source: Dean Calma/IAEA )

Assurance of non-diversion of nuclear material is the IAEA guarantee that nuclear material placed under safeguards has remained in peaceful nuclear activities or has been otherwise adequately accounted for. Safeguards under all types of agreement are designed to provide the international community with credible assurance of non-diversion of nuclear material from declared activities. To this end, the IAEA conducts and evaluates verification activities on nuclear material placed under safeguards and reports the results in the safeguards conclusion on non-diversion, drawn annually for each State with a safeguards agreement in force