Iran Told U.S. to Unblock $10 Billion to Start Nuclear Talks
Golnar Motevalli | Bloomberg
Iran has told the U.S. it should release at least $10 billion of frozen Iranian funds if it wants Tehran to resume nuclear talks, a potential new snag in big-power efforts to revive the 2015 atomic accord. In an interview with Iranian state TV, Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian said the Biden administration had tried to contact his team at the recent summit of world leaders at the United Nations in New York through “various channels” about restarting the negotiations, which stalled before the election of hardline cleric Ebhrahim Raisi as president in June. He said he responded via intermediaries that “if Mr. Biden’s intentions are serious, then tell him to send a serious signal and a serious signal is releasing at least $10 billion of our blocked money.” The U.K., France and Germany should also make overtures, he said.
Koreas Talk on Hotline Restored After North’s Missile Tests
Hyung-Jin Kim | Associated Press
North Korea restored dormant communication hotlines with South Korea in a small, fragile reconciliation step Monday in an apparent hard push to win outside concessions with a mix of conciliatory gestures and missile tests. It’s unclear how substantially the move will improve ties between the Koreas, as Pyongyang has a history of using the hotlines as a bargaining chip in dealings with Seoul. It often unilaterally suspended then reactivated them when it needed better relations with its southern neighbor.
US, Russia to Push Ahead on Arms Control, Strategic Talks
Jamey Keaten and Matthew Lee | Associated Press
The United States and Russia agreed Thursday to press ahead with arms control and related strategic security talks despite significant differences between the two sides. In high-level discussions in Geneva, senior U.S. and Russian diplomats signed off on setting up two working groups to pursue potential accords related to nuclear weapons and other global threats: the Working Group on Principles and Objectives for Future Arms Control and the Working Group on Capabilities and Actions with Strategic Effects.
Russia Test-Fires New Hypersonic Missile From Submarine
Associated Press
A prospective Russian hypersonic missile has been successfully test-fired from a nuclear submarine for the first time, the military said Monday. The Russian Defense Ministry said that the Severodvinsk submarine performed two launches of the Zircon cruise missile at mock targets in the Barents Sea. It first test-fired Zircon from the surface, and then launched another missile from a submerged position in the White Sea. The launch marked Zircon’s first launch from a submarine. It previously has been repeatedly test-fired from a navy frigate, most recently in July.
Iran Plays for Time as Pessimism Grows Over Nuclear Talks
Stephanie Liechtenstein | Politico
Iran is stalling. A new hard-line regime in Tehran has insisted it wants to return to the negotiating table and revive talks over a deal to curb its nuclear program in exchange for sanctions relief. But its actions are telling a slightly different story. In recent days, Iranian officials have held dozens of meetings with foreign officials to discuss the nuclear talks — but revealed few details about when they will return and what they want. And the regime continues to play a game of brinkmanship with the U.N.’s nuclear watchdog agency, striking deals to avoid censures, only to block access for inspectors days later.
North Korea Sends Confusing Signals: Dialogue or Tension?
Choe Sang-Hun | New York Times
The signals are confusing. One day, North Korea is raising hopes for dialogue with South Korea, and the next, it is firing missiles or showing off the latest weaponry in its nuclear arsenal. In the past week alone, North suggested the possibility of inter-Korean summit talks and said it would reopen communication hotlines with its neighbor. It also fired long-range cruise missiles, trotted out what it called its first hypersonic missile and, on Thursday, tested a new antiaircraft missile. Earlier in September, it launched ballistic missiles from a train rolled out of a mountain tunnel, on the same day that it called the South’s president, Moon Jae-in, “stupid.” Once again, North Korea is turning to a well-honed, two-pronged strategy, designed to let it flex its military muscles without risking retaliation or nixing the chances for dialogue.