IAEA Confirms Building’s Damaged at Iran’s Natanz Nuclear Facility
Amid the ongoing U.S.-Israeli offensive against the Iranian Republic, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) announced that while buildings and entrances to the underground portion of the Natanz nuclear facility have been damaged, “no radiological consequence [is] expected.”
French Nuclear Posture Pivots, Russians Speak Out
On March 2, 2026, French President Emmanuel Macron announced that he will expand the French nuclear arsenal to allow the first-time deployment of French nuclear-capable jets to allied European countries. In response, a Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson called the move “an extremely destabilizing development,” while another asserted that the French move vindicates Moscow’s position that French and British nuclear weapons should be part of any future negotiation on the global nuclear balance.
Trump Administration Will Not Conduct Nuclear Posture Review… For Now
During a briefing with the U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee Undersecretary of Defense for Policy Elbridge Colby said that his team will not conduct a formal review of nuclear policy, arguing that the first Trump administration’s 2018 review is sufficient. “We’re actually thinking about a nuclear strategy,” he told lawmakers. “… We are going to focus in on a few problems that I can’t get into in open setting.”
China Leading Development of World-First Accelerator-Driven Nuclear Reactor
Researchers at the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) have begun the final installation of superconducting particle accelerators for its groundbreaking Accelerator-driven subcritical systems (ADS) in Guangdong province. The system is designed to burn uranium 100 times more efficiently than conventional reactors and could reduce the lifespan of nuclear waste to less than a thousandth of its current duration.
South Africa Endorses Global Declaration to Triple Nuclear Energy by 2050
South Africa has joined the growing international coalition supporting the Declaration to Triple Nuclear Energy by 2050, reinforcing the role of nuclear power in achieving climate and energy security goals. The country, which announced its endorsement during the Nuclear Forum at the Africa Energy Indaba 2026, is the 34th to do so globally.
Podcast of the Week: Lucas
This week, I listened to the new episode of The Trialogue podcast where host, and friend of the Oppenheimer Project, Peter Slezkine welcomed his colleague at the Stimson Center Mathew Burrows for his second appearance on the show. They discuss global demographic decline, the energy transition (including nuclear!), the promises and limits of AI, the future of the transatlantic relationship, and China’s role in a multipolar world. Burrows, who served a long career in the Central Intelligence Agency, is a world-renowned expert in strategic forecasting — in other words, predicting the future. I hope you have the time to give the episode a listen!