UN atomic watchdog could be ‘deployed quickly’ to verify any N. Korea nuclear deal

The UN atomic watchdog is confident that it is best placed to verify any nuclear deal reached with North Korea and would be able to deploy quickly, Reuters said. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) is policing the restrictions placed on Iran under the 2015 deal with major powers that the US pulled out of last month. IAEA inspectors were expelled from North Korea in 2009. “No one said, ‘If we reach agreement, please do the verification job.’ That’s not like that,” IAEA chief Yukiya Amano said Monday when asked if either side involved in the US-North Korea summit had indicated that his agency would be called on. “However, we have liaised with stakeholders and had a number of exchanges and through these exchanges it is very clear that if there is anybody, any organization that can do the verification, it is us, the IAEA,” he said.