Illicit Nuclear Trade and Security Risks in the Middle East

In the wrong hands, lost or stolen radioactive and nuclear (R/N) materials can be smuggled and used in acts of terrorism and mass disruption. R/N materials include military as well as civilian assets (academia, energy). The Department of Energy’s National Nuclear Security Administration (DoE/NNSA) Office of Nuclear Smuggling Detection and Deterrence (NSDD) works with partner countries and multinational organizations to detect, disrupt, and investigate the smuggling of R/N materials that could be used in acts of terrorism or nuclear blackmail.

The recent attacks between Israel and Iran have highlighted the vulnerabilities in the region with regard to potential unsecured nuclear and radiological material.  The Capstone team will be asked to consider the potential outcomes and likely scenarios that could play out from this conflict in the near and medium term as it relates to nuclear security regionally and globally.  They will also consider the proxy actors in the region who may exploit these vulnerabilities to their own advantage, as well as other factors the team finds relevant during their research.  The team will develop a number of most likely scenarios and present this to NSDD for the final deliverables of the project.