Iran, P5+1 Tackle Final Hurdles to Accord
Laura Rozen | Al-Monitor
With substantial progress made on some of the toughest elements of a final nuclear deal in recent weeks, Iran and the six world powers (UN Security Council plus Germany, or P5+1) find themselves struggling to resolve differences over two seemingly more peripheral issues at meetings here this week. They involve the scope of research and development on centrifuges that Iran can conduct during the period of a final nuclear accord, and Iran’s desire for the lifting of UN Security Council sanctions on its nuclear program that it sees as treating Iran as a pariah state.
Securing Irreversible IAEA Safeguards to Close the Next NPT Loophole
Pierre Goldschmidt | Arms Control Today
One of the main outstanding loopholes of the international nonproliferation regime that deserve prompt attention is the absence of a requirement for irreversible IAEA safeguards to remain in force should a state leave the nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty.
Wider Cooperation with Iran Would be in the EU's Strategic Interest
Cornelius Adebahr | Europp
While a nuclear agreement with Iran would be a major diplomatic achievement, the EU should look to go much further than the nuclear issue in its relations with the country.
Proliferation and the PKK
Mark Hibbs | Arms Control Wonk
Why on earth would Turkey prevent a NATO ally from prosecuting a suspected Iranian nuclear smuggler who had been arrested in Turkey? Police found that companies Hossein Tanideh controlled were used to camouflage exports of German goods to Iran in violation of a UNSC embargo.
Missile Sale to Turkey Confirmed
China Daily
China confirmed an agreement to sell the HQ-9 air defense missile system to Turkey on Tuesday, during the Langkawi International Maritime and Aerospace exhibition in Malaysia. A representative of China National Precision Machinery Import & Export Corporation said it was well-known that the Chinese FD-2000 system, a HQ-9 model for export, was chosen for the contract with Turkey.
Two More Power Companies to Scrap Aging Nuclear Reactors
Japan Times
Kyushu Electric Power Co. and Chugoku Electric Power Co. decided Wednesday to decommission two aging reactors, following a similar move the previous day by the operators of two other nuclear power plants, amid safety concerns in the wake of the 2011 Fukushima nuclear crisis.