Iran Nuclear Deal Hangs in Balance as Tehran Turns Screw on U.S.
Patrick Wintour | Guardian
The future of the Iran nuclear deal is hanging in the balance as the west prepares its response to Iranian plans to increase pressure on Washington by banning snap intrusive inspections of its nuclear sites. The German, French and British foreign ministers are to confer urgently with the US secretary of state, Tony Blinken, on how to respond to Iran’s plans, which it is expected to implement on Tuesday. Iran’s parliament announced the measure as the next stage of its brinkmanship more than two months ago, with some hoping the deadline would provoke the new US administration into making a specific offer for Washington’s return to the nuclear deal, as Joe Biden pledged would happen during his presidential election campaign.
As Biden Mulls North Korea, Some Urge Arms Control Approach
WIliam Gallo | Voice of America
Former U.S. President Donald Trump tried threats of “fire and fury,” followed by personal letters and made-for-TV summits to convince North Korean leader Kim Jong Un to give up his nuclear weapons. As U.S. President Joe Biden now maps out his own strategy for North Korea, many former U.S. officials want the White House to base its approach on a less flashy but in some ways even more provocative idea: that North Korea has no plans to abandon the nuclear program it spent decades building. The United States has long demanded the complete denuclearization of North Korea, even as a wide range of Korea watchers agreed that will likely never happen. For many, the alternative is simply unfathomable; recognizing North Korea as a nuclear weapons state could convince other nations to pursue the bomb, leading to a regional or global arms race.
Iran’s Khamenei Demands ‘Action’ From Biden to Revive Nuclear Deal
Parisa Hafezi | Reuters
Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei demanded “action, not words” from the United States if it wants to revive Tehran’s 2015 nuclear deal with world powers, challenging new President Joe Biden to take the first step toward a thaw. Iran has set a deadline of next week for Biden to begin reversing sanctions imposed by his predecessor Donald Trump, or it will take its biggest step yet to breach the deal - banning short-notice inspections by the U.N. nuclear watchdog. “We have heard many nice words and promises which in practice have been broken and opposite actions have been taken,” Khamenei said in a televised speech. “Words and promises are no good. This time (we want) only action from the other side, and we will also act.”
Biden’s Pentagon Backs Missile Defense After a $1.2 Billion Flop
Anthony Capaccio | Bloomberg
The Biden administration is pressing ahead with efforts to develop a successor to a failed missile interceptor project that cost $1.2 billion, awarding an initial contract as soon as this month to two of the three biggest U.S. defense contractors. The decision to proceed is one of the first procurement decisions under new Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin. The Pentagon’s Missile Defense Agency plans to choose two winners for five-year design and development contracts from teams led by Northrop Grumman Corp., Lockheed Martin Corp. and Boeing Co. The agency “continues to adhere to established source selection processes as they evaluate each of the proposals and anticipates being ready for contract award this month,” Pentagon spokeswoman Jessica Maxwell said in an email. The Defense Department’s independent cost analysis unit must complete its program estimate before the award, she said.
Northrup Grumman Clears First Design Review of Next-Generation ICBM
Sandra Erwin | Space News
Northrop Grumman’s design of a new intercontinental ballistic missile for the U.S. Air Force passed its first review, the company announced Feb. 16. The review took place in November, two months after the Air Force awarded Northrop Grumman a $13.3 billion contract to develop the Ground Based Strategic Deterrent. The GBSD is the follow-on to the Minuteman 3 ICBM that has been in service since 1970. Northrop Grumman said the Air Force approved the company’s plan for the engineering and manufacturing of GBSD which is also the first step in transitioning ownership of program data to the government. The review was a three-day event held virtually with more than 100 people.
N. Korea Expands Missile Facilities, but no Unusual Signs at Nuclear Sites: Defense Ministry
Oh Seok-min | Yonhap News Agency
North Korea has been expanding missile development facilities, but has shown no unusual signs at its demolished nuclear testing site or its long-suspended plutonium-producing reactor, the defense ministry said Wednesday. The assessment was made in a report the ministry presented to the National Assembly's defense committee for a policy briefing session. “No special movement has been spotted since May 24, 2018, when the North demolished the Punggyeri nuclear test site. The 5-megawatt nuclear reactor at the Yongbyon nuclear complex has long been suspended,” the ministry said, referring to the North's main source of weapons-grade plutonium.