UN nuclear watchdog chief Amano dies aged 72 – IAEA

UN nuclear watchdog chief Yukiya Amano has died, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said on Monday. The news came as the 72-year-old Japanese man was preparing to step down due to an unspecified illness, Reuters reports.

Amano held the position of IAEA director general since 2009 and steered the UN agency through a period of intense diplomacy over Iran’s nuclear program.

He had been preparing to leave his position in March, well before the end of his third four-year term, which ran until November 30, 2021.

A race to succeed Amano had been taking shape since last week, when it became clear he would step down early.