In his seminal research on verification and trust in arms control, Allan Krass notes that “no word has suffered more from scepticism and cynicism in superpower diplomacy than ‘trust’”. Clearly, this observation reflects the fact that in a shifting and uncertain international arena, where national interests reign supreme, any rhetoric prioritising trust between states is inevitably counterbalanced by an approach that seeks to verify claims and agreements, and to ensure that national interests are safeguarded as a state enters any bilateral or multilateral commitment. Consequently, the concept of verification pervades all aspects of international relations.