Iranian Leader Announces Partial Withdrawal from Nuclear Deal
James Griffiths, Joshua Berlinger, and Sheena McKenzie | CNN
Iran announced Wednesday it was partially withdrawing from a landmark nuclear deal, marking a serious escalation in Tehran's faceoff with the United States. President Hassan Rouhani said in a televised speech that Iran would reduce its "commitments" to the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, or JCPOA, but would not fully withdraw, amid heightened pressure from the US in recent weeks. From this week on, Iran will keep its excess enriched uranium and heavy water, rather than sell it to other countries as previously agreed to limit its stockpile, Rouhani said.
Congress Must Act on Arms Control with Extension of New Start Treaty
Pranay Vaddi | Hill
The leaders of the House Foreign Affairs Committee exhibited bipartisan cooperation in advancing international security interests by supporting extension of the New Start Treaty. It prevents a nuclear arms race between the United States and Russia and gives the United States key information about Russian nuclear weapons, reasons why Pentagon leaders strongly endorse it. By introducing a bill to push for renewing the New Start Treaty before it will expire in 2021, Chairman Eliot Engel and Ranking Member Michael McCaul give Republicans and Democrats a way to support the newfound desire of President Trump to reduce global nuclear dangers. The White House reportedly wants to negotiate bold new arms control agreements with Russia and China. Since the New Start Treaty entered into force, Russia has continued nuclear modernization and introduced several new nuclear weapons systems. China has continued to increase its arsenal of mostly conventional armed ballistic missiles, creating additional risks for American forces and those of our allies across the Pacific region. Members of both parties should support efforts to address these threats. However, these negotiations could be very complicated and, if history is any guide, finalizing new arms control agreements could take years.
EU Rejects Iran Nuclear Deal ‘Ultimatum’, Regrets U.S. Sanctions
Al Jazeera
The European Union has rejected Iran's 60-day “ultimatum”, referring to Tehran’s decision to quit parts of the 2015 nuclear agreement a year after the US withdrew from the landmark accord signed with major world powers, including the EU. In a joint statement with the foreign ministries of France, the United Kingdom and Germany, the EU urged Iran to respect the nuclear deal, and said they regretted fresh US sanctions imposed on Tehran. The nuclear deal, formally known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), was designed to curb Iran's nuclear programme in exchange for sanctions relief.
B-52s Added to Aircraft Carrier Strike Group Rushing to Middle East to Confront Iran Threats
Tom Vanden Brook and Deirdre Shesgreen | USA Today
The Pentagon is rushing additional military muscle, including B-52 bombers, to the Middle East to counter Iranian threats to U.S. troops on the ground and at sea, the Pentagon announced Tuesday. The announcement follows two days of increasing alarm over threats from Iran. National Security Advisor John Bolton said Sunday that the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier and bombers were being sent to the region. Meanwhile, senators from both parties urged the White House to move cautiously. By Monday, Pentagon spokesman Charles Summers was pointing “to indications of heightened Iranian readiness to conduct offensive operations against U.S forces and our interests.”
North Korea Launches More Missiles; U.S. Seizes Ship in Mounting Tensions
Josh Smith and David Brunnstrom | Reuters
North Korea fired what appeared to be two short-range missiles on Thursday in its second such test in less than a week, and the United States said it had seized a North Korean cargo ship as tensions again mounted between the two countries. U.S. President Donald Trump said “nobody is happy” at the missile launches, but still appeared to hold the door open for more talks with North Korea. South Korea said the tests were worrisome and unhelpful and likely a protest against Trump refusing to ease economic sanctions at a failed summit in Hanoi in February. The United States has given no sign of willingness to budge on sanctions and on Thursday the U.S. Justice Department announced the seizure of a North Korean cargo vessel it said was involved in the illicit shipping of coal.
Rosatom Committed to Iranian Plant Project
World Nuclear News
In response to the question whether the latest developments around the nuclear deal with Iran will affect nuclear projects in that country, Rosatom Director General Alexey Likhachov told RIA Novosti: "Rosatom has always met and is meeting all its obligations in all of its international projects." Russian-built Bushehr 1 - the first nuclear power unit in the Middle East - was connected to the national grid on 3 September 2011. Bushehr units 2 and 3 are to be completed in 2024 and 2026, respectively. Rosatom subsidiary ASE, which is the general contractor for the Bushehr project, and Nuclear Power Production and Development Company of Iran signed an EPC turnkey contract for construction of the units at Bushehr in November 2014. The two VVER-1000 units will be built with Generation III+ technology, including the latest safety features, and have a combined capacity of 2100 MWe, ASE has said.