Barzashka, Ivanka
Biography
Ivanka Barzashka is a research associate in the Strategic Security Program of the Federation of American Scientists. Her work focuses on the technical aspects of nuclear weapons proliferation and international security policy. Barzashka manages FAS’s ongoing interdisciplinary assessment of Iranian nuclear potential and how it could be used to manufacture nuclear weapons.
She has published technical analyses of Iran's uranium enrichment program, strategic assessments of Tehran's nuclear capabilities and intentions, as well as technically-grounded policy recommendations on how to deal with the Iranian nuclear threat. She also writes for the FAS Strategic Security Blog.
Highlights of her work include an analysis of Iran's Fordow enrichment plant, which concluded that, contrary to common belief, the facility was too small to make sense for either a civilian or a military program. The study concluded that the facility was likely one of many similar sites. Two weeks later, Iran announced plans to build 10 similar additional enrichment plants.
She also calculated that Iran's centrifuges were performing at a quarter or less of the most widely cited values. After a tumultuous debate, the centrifuge underperformance is now accepted as common fact.
Barzashka advises media and congressional staff on Iran's uranium enrichment program. She has briefed the Pentagon, State Department, Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and foreign missions to the United Nations and the United States.
Prior to joining FAS, Barzashka earned a B.S. in physics with minors in foreign politics and mathematics from Roanoke College in Virginia, where she did research in astrophysics. She conducted an independent study on the need for reform of Bulgaria's national security concept in the context of the country's accession to NATO and the EU and has held a position with the Defense Policy Directorate at the Bulgarian Ministry of Defense, where she worked on the draft of the country's new security strategy.
Publications:
Blog: Strategic Security Blog
2010 December 6, The Atlantic: How We'll Know if Iran Nuclear Talks Are Working
2010 November 2, Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists: Iran and the West - Next Steps
2010 July 22, FAS Issue Brief: Will Iran Give Up Twenty Percent Enrichment?
2010 April 16, FAS Issue Brief: The Twenty Percent Solution - Breaking the Iranian Stalemate
2010 March: Nuclear Engineering International (www.neimagazine.com) Figuring Out Fordow
2009 November 23, Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists: A Technical Evaluation of the Fordow Fuel Enrichment Plant
In the News:
2010 November 17: Global Security Newswire - Iranian Nuclear Program Would Outlive Attack. Gates Says
2010 November 16: Reuters - Stuxnet Study Suggests Iran Enrichment Aim
2010 November 16: The Guardian - Stuxnet Worm is Aimed to Sabotage Iran's Nuclear Ambition, New Research Shows
2010 November 16: Global Security Newswire - Complications Seen in Nuclear Diplomacy With Iran
2010 November 15: Washington Post - Computer Work May Have Targeted Iran's Nuclear Program
2010 November 14: Washington Post - Difficulty on Iran Nuclear Talks is a Bad Omen, Diplomats Warn
2010 November 13: Washington Post - Getting Iran to Agree to Talk About Its Nuclear Program Proves Difficult
2010 October 28: Reuters - U.S. Prepares New Offer For Iran Nuclear Talks
2010 October 25: Reuters - Iran Set to Load Fuel to Core of First Atomic Plant
2010 April 19: The Guardian - Iran Wants to Reopen Talks About a Nuclear Fuel Swap
2010 April 16: The Guardian - Iran: Bridgeable Differences
