Introduction What is Being Done to Halt the Further Spread of Nuclear Weapons? Why Are IAEA Safeguards Important? What Assurances Do Safeguards Seek to Provide? How Are Safeguards Agreements Implemented? What Specific Challenges Have There Been for IAEA Verification? Can the IAEA Prevent the Diversion of Declared Material? How Has the Safeguards System Been Strengthened? How Much Do Safeguards Cost? What is the Future of IAEA Verification? Conclusion Further Reading		What Assurances Do Safeguards Seek to Provide? The main aim of IAEA safeguards is to provide assurance to the international community that a State is complying with its non-proliferation and exclusively 'peaceful use' undertakings under its safeguards agreement. Comprehensive safeguards agreements apply to all of the nuclear material in peaceful uses in the State. In the case of non-comprehensive (INFCIRC/66/Rev.2) agreements, safeguards apply to the nuclear material, equipment, non-nuclearmaterial and facilities specified in the agreement. In both cases, the State has an obligation to declare to the IAEA, at the time the agreement enters into force, all of the items subject to safeguards under the relevant agreement. The State also has an obligation to update this information and to declare all new items which subsequently become subject to the terms of the agreement. Assessments and on-site verification by the IAEA seek to provide assurance that no diversion or misuse of the items subject to the agreement has taken place. They also aim to deter any diversion by the risk of early detection. The assurance obtained from the IAEA as an effective and objective auditor contributes to confidence among States and thus helps to allay concerns which could provide the political motivation for the development or acquisition of nuclear weapons.