In this episode of The Arms Control Primer, host Dr Alexander Bollfrass is joined by Prof Anna-Mart van Wyk and Dr Robin E. Möser to explore how apartheid-era South Africa built a nuclear arsenal and how, after the end of apartheid, it became the first state to dismantle its weapons entirely.  

📩 Join the conversation—follow us on X (@IISS_org), LinkedIn or Instagram (iissorg) or visit the webpage of our Strategy, Technology and Arms Control research programme: Strategy, Technology and Arms Control | IISS Research programme   

‘The Arms Control Primer’ is a podcast series produced by the IISS Strategy, Technology and Arms Control Programme on behalf of the EU Non-Proliferation and Disarmament Consortium

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of The Arms Control Primer, host Dr Alexander Bollfrass is joined by Dr Emma Rosengren and Dr Thomas Jonter to examine Sweden’s nuclear ambitions during the Cold War, from its dual-use programme and domestic debate to its renunciation of the bomb and emergence as a leader in global disarmament.

📩 Join the conversation—follow us on X (@IISS_org), LinkedIn or Instagram (iissorg) or visit the website of our Strategy, Technology and Arms Control research programme: Strategy, Technology and Arms Control | IISS Research programme 

‘The Arms Control Primer’ is a podcast series produced by the IISS Strategy, Technology and Arms Control Programme on behalf of the EU Non-Proliferation and Disarmament Consortium

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of The Arms Control Primer, host Alex Bollfrass is joined by Dr Hans Blix and Dr Stephen Herzog to examine Iraq’s nuclear ambitions under Saddam Hussein: from its early civilian programme to clandestine enrichment efforts and the post-Gulf War inspections that reshaped international safeguards and the future of arms control.

📩 Join the conversation—follow us on X (@IISS_org), LinkedIn or Instagram (iissorg) or visit the website of our Strategy, Technology and Arms Control research programme: Strategy, Technology and Arms Control | IISS Research programme 

‘The Arms Control Primer’ is a podcast series produced by the IISS Strategy, Technology and Arms Control Programme on behalf of the EU Non-Proliferation and Disarmament Consortium

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Arms Control Poseur is now the Arms Control Primer!

🎙️ Hosted by Alex Bollfrass, Season 5 explores the nuclear past, present, and future by examining countries that once pursued or possessed nuclear weapons but ultimately gave them up.

What lessons can their choices teach us about non-proliferation, arms control, and disarmament today?

‘The Arms Control Primer’ is a podcast series produced by the IISS Strategy, Technology and Arms Control Programme on behalf of the EU Non-Proliferation and Disarmament Consortium

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In the season premiere of The Arms Control Primer, host Alex Bollfrass is joined by Dr. Nicole Grajewski and Dr. Azadeh Zamirirad to unpack Iran’s nuclear programme - from its origins under the Shah to the JCPOA, the 2025 Israel–Iran conflict, and the uncertain road ahead for diplomacy, deterrence and non-proliferation.

📩 Join the conversation—follow us on X (@IISS_org), LinkedIn or Instagram (iissorg) or visit the website of our Strategy, Technology and Arms Control research programme: Strategy, Technology and Arms Control | IISS Research programme 

‘The Arms Control Primer’ is a podcast series produced by the IISS Strategy, Technology and Arms Control Programme on behalf of the EU Non-Proliferation and Disarmament Consortium

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In the last episode of season 4 of The Arms Control Poseur, host Dr Alex Bollfrass brings together insights from across the series for a sobering, thoughtful and wide-ranging discussion on nuclear strategies, global risk dynamics and the path for arms control. Alex Bollfrass is joined by Zuzanna Gwadera, a research analyst from the IISS, who reflects on moments from the season and what they reveal about the evolving global nuclear order. 

📩 Join the conversation—follow us on X (@IISS_org), LinkedIn or Instagram (iissorg) or visit the website of our Strategy, Technology and Arms Control research programme: Strategy, Technology and Arms Control | IISS Research programme 

‘The Arms Control Primer’ is a podcast series produced by the IISS Strategy, Technology and Arms Control Programme on behalf of the EU Non-Proliferation and Disarmament Consortium

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

With the story of North Korea’s nuclear programme commencing in the 1950s under Kim Il Sung, following the end of the Soviet support and the imbalance of power with South Korea, Pyongyang began to see nuclear weapons not only as a deterrent, but as a necessary tool for regime survival. In this episode of The Arms Control Poseur, host Dr Alexander Bollfrass is joined by leading nuclear policy experts Dr Jingdong Yuan, Dr Daniel Salisbury and Ankit Panda to deep dive into the closed world of North Korea’s nuclear ambitions – from its Cold War roots to its modern missile arsenal and the collapse of every diplomatic effort to stop its advance. Decades of research, insights shared by intelligence leaks and firsthand accounts explain why North Korea won’t give up its nuclear weapons, what that means for US and South Korean security policy and what challenges arise for arms control on the Korean peninsula. 

📩 Join the conversation—follow us on X (@IISS_org), LinkedIn or Instagram (iissorg) or visit the website of our Strategy, Technology and Arms Control research programme: Strategy, Technology and Arms Control | IISS Research programme 

‘The Arms Control Primer’ is a podcast series produced by the IISS Strategy, Technology and Arms Control Programme on behalf of the EU Non-Proliferation and Disarmament Consortium

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

How did Pakistan become a nuclear power? Between India and China, how does Pakistan manage deterrence in a volatile region with two-nuclear armed neighbours, growing asymmetry, and no effective arms control mechanisms in place? After Pakistan’s nuclear journey began in the 1950s with civilian ambitions, it developed nuclear enrichment capabilities in the early 19080s and conducted first tests. In this episode of The Arms Control Poseur, host Dr Alexander Bollfrass is joined by leading nuclear policy experts Dr Rabia Akhtar and Dr Mansoor Ahmed to discuss the history of Pakistan’s nuclear weapons, how its strategic doctrine evolved over time and arms control proposals for the region.

📩 Join the conversation—follow us on X (@IISS_org), LinkedIn or Instagram (iissorg) or visit the website of our Strategy, Technology and Arms Control research programme: Strategy, Technology and Arms Control | IISS Research programme 

‘The Arms Control Primer’ is a podcast series produced by the IISS Strategy, Technology and Arms Control Programme on behalf of the EU Non-Proliferation and Disarmament Consortium

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

India’s nuclear weapons programme begins with the pre-independence roots of its nuclear ambitions. While India has continuously emphasised the peaceful aspects of nuclear energy, the geopolitical landscape in South Asia has shaped its dual-use trajectory. The border war with China in 1962, followed by China’s nuclear test in 1964, and the increasing alignment between China and Pakistan, were turning points. In this episode of The Arms Control Poseur, host Dr Alexander Bollfrass is joined by leading nuclear policy experts Dr Manpreet Sethi and Dr Jayita Sarkar to explore South Asia’s nuclear stability, the roots of India’s nuclear posture and what the future may hold for arms control in an increasingly multipolar world.

📩 Join the conversation—follow us on X (@IISS_org), LinkedIn or Instagram (iissorg) or visit the website of our Strategy, Technology and Arms Control research programme: Strategy, Technology and Arms Control | IISS Research programme 

‘The Arms Control Primer’ is a podcast series produced by the IISS Strategy, Technology and Arms Control Programme on behalf of the EU Non-Proliferation and Disarmament Consortium

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Israel is unique among nuclear-armed states as it neither confirms nor denies its nuclear capability. While Israel’s nuclear ambiguity has shaped its strategic posture for decades, it also raises questions about Israel’s nuclear doctrine and how it fits into Middle Eastern security. Unlike other nuclear powers, Israel began exploring nuclear weapons development before the establishment of the State of Israel in 1948. In this episode of The Arms Control Poseur, host Dr Alexander Bollfrass is joined by leading nuclear policy expert Dr Or Rabinowitz to provide deep insights into the history, strategy and future of Israel’s nuclear programme.

📩 Join the conversation—follow us on X (@IISS_org), LinkedIn or Instagram (iissorg) or visit the website of our Strategy, Technology and Arms Control research programme: Strategy, Technology and Arms Control | IISS Research programme

‘The Arms Control Primer’ is a podcast series produced by the IISS Strategy, Technology and Arms Control Programme on behalf of the EU Non-Proliferation and Disarmament Consortium

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.