Rogue Proliferators: Nonproliferation Threats Posed by Iran, Syria, Russia, and North Korea

Experts from FDD’s Nonproliferation and Biodefense Program were scheduled to attend the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) annual conference at The Hague when they learned their attendance was blocked. Iran, Syria, and/or Russia – all known rogue proliferators—managed to veto the attendance of FDD observers. What are the chemical weapons and proliferation concerns associated with each of these rogue states and North Korea? What can Washington and allied nations do to hold them to account? FDD hosted an on-the-record event to discuss the state of global nonproliferation efforts, the role each of these proliferators play individually and in coordination with each other, and recommendations for addressing these issues.The event featured keynote remarks by Assistant Secretary of State for International Security and Nonproliferation C.S. Eliot Kang followed by a panel discussion with Michael Allen, former Special Assistant to the President and NSC Senior Director for Counterproliferation Strategy; Anthony Ruggiero, Senior Director of FDD’s Nonproliferation and Biodefense Program and former Deputy Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs and NSC Senior Director for Counterproliferation and Biodefense; and Andrea Stricker, FDD Research Fellow and Deputy Director of FDD’s Nonproliferation and Biodefense Program. The conversation was moderated by Vivian Salama, national security reporter for The Wall Street Journal.