The United Nations‚ general assembly has overwhelmingly voted to urge countries to support the International Atomic Energy Agency, (IAEA), in preventing acts of terrorism committed with nuclear and other radioactive materials. Delegates voted 150 in favour, with North Korea voting against and the Ivory Coast and Laos abstaining.

Assembly members also called on all Middle East states to fully apply the agency’s safety guidelines to all nuclear activities, adhere to international non-proliferation regimes and set up a nuclear-weapons-free zone in the region.