Episode 145: Vali Nasr Mark Leon Goldberg April 10, 2017 Vali Nasr was born in Iran, where his father was a high profile academic and university administrator Then came the revolution. They fled--and that traumatic experience, he says, shaped his intellectual development in ways he is only beginning to understa...
The IAEA Faces Big Budget Pressures Mark Leon Goldberg July 20, 2015 Despite it's high profile, the International Atomic Energy Agency suffers from some of the same funding challenges as many UN agencies. Now that it is at the heart of the Iran nuclear deal, will its member states ease up on the budgetary pressure under which t...
The IAEA and Iran: How Inspections Work Mark Leon Goldberg July 16, 2015 The nuclear deal with Iran is essentially grand bargain: Iran agreed to curtail its nuclear program in exchange for a gradual easing of international and national sanctions. But as President Obama is fond of saying, the agreement is not based on trust. It'...
5 Things About the IAEA That May Surprise You Alexandra Van Dine July 15, 2015 Ed note. A nuclear deal with Iran has been struck! This post originally appeared in April, after the framework agreement was signed which lead to yesterday's diplomatic breakthrough. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has been in the news rece...
Here’s How the IAEA Will Keep Tabs on Iran Mark Leon Goldberg July 14, 2015 An Iran nuclear deal has been struck. It's a highly technical agreement that asks a great deal from the United Nations--specifically from the International Atomic Energy Agency. If the IAEA is able to verify compliance, sanctions will be lifted. If the IAE...
Why the “Snap Back” Provision is the Most Brilliant Part of the Iran Deal Mark Leon Goldberg July 14, 2015 One of the biggest challenges to American and European negotiators during the Iran nuclear talks was the question of how to reimpose the sanctions if Iran was credibly found to be cheating. This is called a "snap back" provision -- i.e. the sanctions...
Iran Nuclear Talks: How IAEA Nuclear Weapons Inspections Actually Work Mark Leon Goldberg April 2, 2015 The outline of an Iran deal has been struck. And, as expected, the International Atomic Energy Agency will serve as the lynchpin of this historic diplomatic breakthrough. According to the agreement reached in Lausanne, Switzerland the level of access that I...
3 Huge Stories to Follow This Weekend Mark Leon Goldberg March 27, 2015 1) Iran Nuke Talks Down to the Wire In Brief: This is arguably the most critical time yet in the complex negotiations that may lead to a diplomatic breakthrough with Iran. Negotiators from the Permanent 5 members of the Security Council plus Germany--the so-c...
5 Big Nuclear Security Challenges Beyond Iran Alexandra Van Dine March 19, 2015 Ed note. I'm pleased to welcome Alexandra Van Dine to UN Dispatch! The prospect of a nuclear deal with Iran has dominated news coverage, and the world is watching closely as diplomats work round the clock to craft an agreement in Switzerland. Certainly, th...
