The UN's nuclear watchdog IAEA has presented new surveillance devices to help monitor plants around the world. The agency is constantly developing new technology to cope with the challenges posed by countries like Iran and the DPRK.

Although it is still waiting for final authorization, the 'Cerenkov' robot is set to replace the inspection visits as a way of confirming the amount of spent nuclear fuel in the reactor pond, verifying that none of it has been removed and potentially diverted for alternative use.

Compared to the previous 'Cerenkov' device, the new robot is "more detailed, more accurate and you can compare the results," Alexey Anichenko from the IAEA's department of safeguards told CGTN.

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It is still unclear, however, whether nuclear plants will allow the robot to be implemented.

"It's our goal to convince each operator that it's an advantage for them to make sure that they have less intrusion in the pond and it will be much more efficient to use this equipment than to wait for the inspector to come," Anichenko adds.

What is already certain is the use of the modernized container seals. No larger than a coin, this device allows the IAEA for the first time to verify whether the material in the container has been touched or not.

The question remains whether this technology can actually be used where it's needed the most. The IAEA's largest operation to monitor any one country's nuclear program is in Iran. But since the U.S. withdrew from the Iran nuclear treaty four years ago, Tehran has been withholding all surveillance camera footage. So the organization cannot verify whether Iran's nuclear program has peaceful intentions or not.

Iran had not engaged with the UN agency since June until this week, when the head of Iran's Atomic Energy Organization met with IAEA chief Rafael Grossi in Vienna. Grossi has been asking Tehran to clarify outstanding safeguard issues.

During his opening remarks at the 66th General Conference, Grossi highlighted that the IAEA "must make sure that this blessing of nuclear energy for peace and for development is not turned into an instrument of destruction and suffering." 

More and more countries are currently moving into nuclear energy, he added. And also the job of monitoring nuclear facilities is growing.

From the 1,334 nuclear facilities worldwide, only 200 are remotely monitored. The IAEA hopes to increase surveillance - to ensure that nuclear programs remain peaceful. 

Cover image: The new 'Cerenkov' robot will automatically check if the amount of spent nuclear fuel in the reactor pond matches the declared data./CGTN/Johannes Pleschberger