UPSC Prelims Practice Questions — Trump is at a strategic dead end on Iran: Vali Nasr

Q1. Under the 2015 JCPOA, the verification and monitoring of Iran's compliance with its nuclear commitments was made the responsibility of which one of the following bodies?

  • A. The UN Security Council 1737 Sanctions Committee
  • B. The Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW)
  • C. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)
  • D. The Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG)

Q2. The shipping lanes of the Strait of Hormuz lie within the territorial waters of which one of the following pairs of states?

  • A. Iran and the United Arab Emirates
  • B. Iran and Oman
  • C. Oman and the United Arab Emirates
  • D. Iran and Saudi Arabia

Q3. Under UN Security Council Resolution 2231 (2015), transfers to Iran of missile-related items were restricted by reference to the control list of which one of the following regimes?

  • A. The Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG)
  • B. The Wassenaar Arrangement
  • C. The Australia Group
  • D. The Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR)

Q4. With reference to the global nuclear non-proliferation framework, which of the following are correctly identified?

  1. The IAEA Additional Protocol, adopted in 1997, strengthens the Agency's ability to verify undeclared nuclear material.
  2. Uranium enriched above 20% U-235 is classified as highly enriched uranium (HEU).
  3. The IAEA 'significant quantity' for HEU is about 25 kg.
  4. Weapons-grade uranium is defined as enrichment to about 50% U-235.
  • A. 1 and 3 only
  • B. 2 and 4 only
  • C. 1, 2 and 4 only
  • D. 1, 2 and 3 only

Q5. In IAEA safeguards terminology, the 'significant quantity' (SQ) of highly enriched uranium — the approximate amount of material for which the possibility of making a nuclear explosive device cannot be excluded — is taken to be:

  • A. 8 kg
  • B. 25 kg
  • C. 50 kg
  • D. 75 kg

Q6. With reference to India's involvement in the Chabahar port project in Iran, consider the following statements. Which one of the statements given below is NOT correct?

  1. The Shahid Beheshti terminal is operated by India Ports Global Limited (IPGL).
  2. The 2024 long-term contract for the terminal was signed for a period of 10 years.
  3. Chabahar is positioned as a key node of the International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC).
  4. Chabahar port is located on Iran's Caspian Sea coast.
  • A. 1 and 3
  • B. 2 and 4
  • C. 1, 2 and 4
  • D. 4 only