Hans Martin Blix (born June 28, 1928, in Uppsala, Sweden) is a distinguished Swedish diplomat, politician, and jurist. He began his career in public service after studying law, serving as a civil servant in the Swedish Ministry of Foreign Affairs from 1963 to 1976. Blix entered politics as a member of the Liberal People's Party and was appointed Sweden's Minister for Foreign Affairs from 1978 to 1979 under Prime Minister Ola Ullsten. Following his ministerial role, he transitioned to international diplomacy, becoming the Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) from 1981 to 1997. During his tenure at the IAEA, Blix coordinated the agency's response to major nuclear incidents, including being the first Western representative to inspect the Chernobyl disaster site in 1986. His most prominent role came in the early 2000s as the Executive Chairman of the United Nations Monitoring, Verification and Inspection Commission (UNMOVIC) from March 2000 to June 2003, where he led weapons inspections in Iraq aimed at verifying compliance with UN resolutions on weapons of mass destruction. Despite thorough searches in 2002, UNMOVIC found no evidence of such weapons, a finding that contrasted with intelligence claims leading to the 2003 US-led invasion of Iraq. Ordered to withdraw his team by US President George W. Bush on March 17, 2003, Blix's reports contributed to global debates on the Iraq War. Post-UNMOVIC, he served as president of the World Federation of United Nations Associations and, in 2010, became head of the advisory board for the United Arab Emirates' nuclear power program. Throughout his career, Blix has been recognized for his expertise in international law, nuclear non-proliferation, and disarmament advocacy.