The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) promotes the safe, secure and peaceful use of nuclear science and checks that nuclear material is not diverted to weapons. It was proposed in US President Eisenhower's 1953 'Atoms for Peace' speech and established in 1957. It is an autonomous body within the UN system that reports to both the General Assembly and the Security Council.
Key facts
- Statute in force 29 July 1957; origin in Eisenhower's 1953 'Atoms for Peace' speech.
- 182 member states; Director General Rafael Grossi since December 2019. (as of 23 Oct 2026)
- Won the 2005 Nobel Peace Prize jointly with its then chief Mohamed ElBaradei.
- In September 2022 it began its first inspection of a nuclear plant in a war zone, at Zaporizhzhia, Ukraine.
Why exams ask about it
Headquarters, founding year, its Nobel and its Director General come up whenever Iran or Ukraine's plants are in the news.