U.S. Struggling to Engage With Iran Over Nuclear Deal
Barak Ravid | Axios
The Biden administration's efforts to re-engage with Iran over its nuclear program are coming up against three major obstacles: a lack of direct channels of communication, divisions within the leadership in Tehran, and looming Iranian presidential elections, U.S. officials involved in the talks tell me. Putting Iran’s nuclear program “back in the box” is one of the Biden administration’s top foreign policy priorities, but the sides have yet to hold direct talks. President Biden says he's willing to lift sanctions and return to the 2015 nuclear deal if Iran returns to full compliance, by rolling back the nuclear acceleration it has undertaken since Donald Trump withdrew from the deal in 2018.
Iran Rejects Ending 20% Enrichment Before U.S. Lifts Sanctions – State TV
Reuters
Iran will not stop its 20% uranium enrichment before the United States lifts all sanctions, Iranian state TV quoted an unnamed official as saying on Tuesday, after a U.S. media report said Washington would offer a new proposal to jump-start talks. The Biden administration has been seeking to engage Iran in talks about both sides resuming compliance with the 2015 nuclear deal. The agreement removed economic sanctions on Tehran in return for curbs on Iran’s nuclear programme to make it harder to develop a nuclear weapon - an ambition Tehran denies. “A senior Iranian official tells Press TV that Tehran will stop its 20-percent uranium enrichment only if the U.S. lifts ALL its sanctions on Iran first,” state-run Press TV said on its website.
Iran Says Sanctions Could Force Shutdown of Nuclear Power Plant
Arsalan Shahla | Bloomberg
Iran said its only nuclear power plant could stop operating this year as the country struggles to keep the unit running because of sanctions. The Bushehr nuclear power station is “facing the risk of shutdown” because U.S. banking restrictions have made it difficult for the Islamic Republic to transfer money and procure necessary equipment, Mahmoud Jafari, a deputy at the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran, was quoted as saying by the semi-official Iranian Students’ News Agency. “Currency fluctuations and problems related to banking sanctions have complicated efforts to meet the reactor’s operational and maintenance costs and make payments to Russian contractors,” Jafari said.
Analysis: Inter-Korean Missile Race May Leave North Korea With Tactical Nuclear Weapons
Josh Smith | Reuters
North Korea has surged ahead during recent years in an inter-Korean arms race that has led to a proliferation of short-range missiles on the peninsula and left Pyongyang closer than ever to deploying tactical nuclear weapons. North Korea’s years-long quest to develop precision missiles capable of evading detection and striking targets in South Korea has accelerated in the wake of the country’s 2018 self-imposed moratorium on testing its larger intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs).
U.S. Secretary of State: North Korean Ballistic Missile Test is a ‘Serious Threat’
Kelly Kasulis | NK News
Days after North Korea test-fired its first ballistic missile of the Biden administration, the U.S. secretary of state condemned the launch as “a serious threat” but assured Pyongyang that it “does nothing to shake the resolve” of American allies. Speaking at a press conference on Monday, Antony Blinken said that the United States, South Korea and Japan are ready to approach North Korea from “a position of strength” in order to “diminish the threat that it poses to the region and beyond.” Blinken also pointed out that the launch — which sent two short-range ballistic missiles flying towards the East Sea on Thursday morning local time — violated multiple UN Security Council resolutions.
U.S. Strategic Command Twitter Account Accessed by Child: Report
David Aaro | Fox News
A child was apparently behind a bizarre tweet sent by the U.S. Strategic Command (USSTRATCOM) Twitter account Sunday, according to a report. “;l;;gmlxzssaw,” read the tweet, which went viral and received more than 11,000 retweets before it was deleted. USSTRATCOM, based at Offutt Air Force Base, Neb., posted a follow-up tweet apologizing “for any confusion,” which was also deleted. The strange message drew wild speculation online, including that the command inadvertently sent out a nuclear launch code. USSTRATCOM is in charge of the military’s nuclear forces and deterring missile attacks.