Nuclear Policy News – July 2, 2021

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Russia expects Iran nuclear deal to be back in effect before July 14 — spokeswoman
TASS

U.S. calls build-up of China’s nuclear arsenal ‘concerning’
Reuters

COVID could spell delay for W80-4, NNSA says – but ‘a lot of margin’ remains
Exchange Monitor

United States

U.S. calls build-up of China’s nuclear arsenal ‘concerning’
Reuters7/2/2021
The United States said on Thursday China’s rapid build-up of its nuclear forces was concerning and called on Beijing to engage with it “on practical measures to reduce the risks of destabilizing arms races.”

Iran nuclear talks seen as best chance to free U.S. detainees
The Hill7/2/2021
Advocates seeking the release of four Americans detained in Iran are growing increasingly concerned that failure to reach an agreement on rejoining the 2015 nuclear deal will squander the best chance for them to return home.

Raytheon gets $2 billion U.S. Air Force contract for nuclear cruise missile
Reuters7/1/2021
Raytheon Technologies Corp (RTX.N) has been awarded an about $2 billion contract by the U.S. Air Force to develop and make a nuclear-armed cruise missile, the U.S. aerospace maker said on Thursday.

COVID could spell delay for W80-4, NNSA says – but ‘a lot of margin’ remains
Exchange Monitor6/25/2021
COVID-19-related delays at the Department of Energy and its vendors might delay refurbishment of a warhead intended for next-generation nuclear-tipped air-launched cruise missiles, the acting head of the National Nuclear Security Administration said this week in congressional testimony.

East Asia

China bolsters its nuclear options with new missile silos in a desert
The New York Times7/2/2021
Satellite images of construction could fuel the debate over American nuclear modernization and the future of arms control negotiations.

S. Korea, UN office hold joint youth forum on disarmament, nonproliferation
Yonhap7/1/2021
Seoul has been championing the agenda, with last year’s adoption by a U.N. committee of a South Korea-drafted resolution on encouraging youth participation in disarmament and nonproliferation issues.

Middle East

Don’t sacrifice Lebanon in pursuit of nuclear deal with Iran, analysts caution
Arab News7/2/2021
The analysts said that as the international community moved forward on nuclear negotiations with Iran – which sponsors Hezbollah’s political and military actions – it must ensure that Lebanon was not sacrificed to Iranian interests.

EXCLUSIVE Iran restricts IAEA access to main enrichment plant after attack -diplomats
Reuters7/1/2021
Iran has been restricting U.N. nuclear inspectors’ access to its main uranium enrichment plant at Natanz, citing security concerns after what it says was an attack on the site by Israel in April, diplomats say.

Russia

Russia expects Iran nuclear deal to be back in effect before July 14 — spokeswoman
TASS7/1/2021
Russia expects that the talks on the return of the U.S. to the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) will be successfully completed by the sixth anniversary of the Iran nuclear deal – July 14, Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova told a briefing on Thursday.

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