What are the key institutional roles of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in the global nuclear governance architecture? How do recent conflicts involving nuclear sites challenge these roles?

Topic: Important International institutions, agencies and fora- their structure, mandate.

Q4. What are the key institutional roles of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in the global nuclear governance architecture? How do recent conflicts involving nuclear sites challenge these roles? (10 M)

Difficulty Level: Medium

Reference: IE

Why the question:
Iran’s nuclear sites and the IAEA’s emergency response, raising debates on the resilience of global nuclear governance.

Key Demand of the question:
To outline the core functions of the IAEA in nuclear governance and analyse how recent armed conflicts have affected its operational capacity and credibility.

Structure of the Answer:

Introduction:
Mention IAEA’s foundational role in global nuclear governance and current relevance post-Iran crisis.

Body:

• Key institutional roles of IAEA — verification, peaceful tech promotion, safety norms, technical assistance, emergency response.
• Challenges from recent conflicts — restricted access, material traceability, inspector safety, erosion of verification credibility, politicisation risks.

Conclusion:
Need for stronger legal and operational mandates to ensure IAEA’s effectiveness during conflicts.