And, despite leakage of technology and possible violations of commitments, the trend line is toward less rather than more transfers of technology and complete systems.
Beginning in the early 1980s, Libya undertook a secret nuclear weapons program in violation of its commitments to the Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty.
Trump's decision avoided placing the United States in violation of the commitments it made in the landmark 2015 deal.
If there is a violation of other commitments – on labour and environmental standards, for example – citizens, unions, and civil society groups have no recourse.
Until recently, Washington had a hard time convincing other countries that Iran was developing nuclear weapons in violation of its commitments under the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty.
Nevertheless, countries entering a customs union or free-trade association are not in violation of their commitments under the World Trade Organization; just as they were permitted under GATT, customs unions and free-trade associations are still permitted through the WTO.
Yet ruling right-wing party Venstre and anti-immigration coalition partners the Danish People's Party (DPP) have said claims the measure is a violation of international commitments and human rights shows the law has been "grossly misunderstood".
The report says that Iran admitted to producing "small amounts of low-enriched uranium using both centrifuges and laser enrichmentprocesses," which it had never reported to the agency, a violation of its commitments under the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty.
Even as Mr. Putin was hailing the election, European monitors were taking a different view, contending that there had been "a clear abuse of power and a clear violation of international commitments and standards".
"We note with amazement the resignation of Mr Marcelo Bielsa … in a clear violation of the commitments undertaken in the agreements signed last week," Lazio said in an official statement released on Friday.
