State Department reps attend nuclear forensics meeting in Italy
by Sheri Walsh
Washington DC (UPI) Jul 1, 2025

U.S. State Department representatives met with nuclear forensic scientists from around the world Tuesday at this year's annual Nuclear Forensics International Technical Working Group meeting in Italy.

The meeting, taking place in Bologna during record heat throughout much of Europe, comes nine days after the United States launched B-2 bomber airstrikes on three nuclear enrichment sites in Iran.

While President Donald Trump said the airstrikes "obliterated" the facilities, the U.N. nuclear watchdog chief said the damage only set back Iran's nuclear program by a few months.

The State Department released a statement Tuesday, outlining the meeting with no specifics or reference to last month's strikes.

"Nuclear forensics, the scientific analysis of nuclear materials, deters nuclear terrorism and ensures public safety by identifying the origin and history of nuclear materials," the statement read.

The State Department's Bureau of International Security and Nonproliferation was involved in planning this week's meeting after having co-chaired the full-working group and all five ITWG task groups.

The ITWG has met for nearly 30 years "to make the world safer through the advancement of nuclear forensics best practices."

This year's meeting involves more than 80 experts from 30 countries discussing new developments, in an effort to grow international cooperation "in nuclear forensics exercise and capability development."

While U.S. airstrikes weakened Iran's nuclear program, Iran is not the only country targeted for denuclearization. Last week, the State Department said it was committed to the "complete denuclearization" of North Korea.

"President Trump, in his first term, made significant outreach to North Korea," said State Department spokeswoman Tammy Bruce.

"They've got their own nuclear program in North Korea and we remain committed to the complete denuclearization of North Korea," she said. "That remains a commitment."

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