Nuclear Policy News – July 7, 2021

FacebookTwitterLinkedInEmailCopy Link

Top News:

UK, France and Germany have ‘grave concern’ over Iran nuclear activity
The Independent

Iran takes steps to make enriched uranium metal; U.S., Europe powers dismayed
Reuters

Iran accuses Israel of June attack on civilian nuclear site
Associated Press

United States

ANALYSIS: Let’s Discuss Strategic Stability
Arms Control WonkMichael Krepon
7/6/2021
Washington and Moscow have agreed to a resumption of dialogue under the rubric of strategic stability. These discussions are necessary and overdue. They were not advisable during the Trump administration, when Trump’s words and actions suggested being beholden to or seeking favors from Vladimir Putin.

OPINION: Spending $2 trillion on new nuclear weapons is a risk to more than just your wallet
Business InsiderBill Perry, Jerry Brown, John Garamendi
7/7/2021
The US is pursuing the modernization of all three legs of the nuclear triad, at an estimated cost of $1.7 trillion over 30 years.

Middle East

Iran takes steps to make enriched uranium metal; U.S., Europe powers dismayed
Reuters7/6/2021
Iran has begun the process of producing enriched uranium metal, the U.N. atomic watchdog said on Tuesday, a move that could help it develop a nuclear weapon and that three European powers said threatened talks to revive the 2015 Iran nuclear deal.

Iran insists ‘tough decisions’ needed to revive JCPOA as Vienna talks stumble
Tehran Times7/6/2021
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Saeed Khatibzadeh has reiterated a previous call by Iran’s top nuclear negotiator, Seyed Abbas Araqchi, for tough decisions concerning the Vienna nuclear talks, which aim to revive the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).

Iran accuses Israel of June attack on civilian nuclear site
Associated Press7/6/2021
Iran accused Israel on Tuesday of mounting a sabotage attack on a nuclear facility near Tehran last month, the country’s state-run news agency reported as authorities acknowledged for the first time that the mysterious assault had caused structural damage to the site.

Should the Mossad have publicly revealed seizing nuke archives?
The Jerusalem Post7/6/2021
There is still an ongoing debate over whether it was wise to publicly reveal to the world the Mossad’s seizing of Iran’s secret nuclear archive or whether the disclosures should have been limited to allied intelligence services, former Mossad official Sima Shine said on Tuesday.

Jordan participates in 4th Stockholm Initiative meeting
The Jordan Times7/6/2021
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi on Monday participated in the fourth ministerial meeting of the Stockholm Initiative for Nuclear Disarmament and the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), hosted by the Spanish Minister of Foreign Affairs Arancha Gonzalez Laya in Madrid, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.

Europe

European powers warn Iran over enriched uranium metal production
BBC7/7/2021
Tehran informed the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) that the process was to develop fuel for a research reactor. But uranium metal could also be used to make the core of a nuclear bomb. European powers said Iran’s move breached a nuclear deal and threatened talks to revive it. The U.S. called it an “unfortunate step backwards”.

UK, France and Germany have ‘grave concern’ over Iran nuclear activity
The Independent7/6/2021
‘We strongly urge Iran to halt all activities in violation of the JCPOA, without delay and to return to the negotiations in Vienna with a view to bringing them to a swift conclusion.’

International Affairs

Leadership groups call on China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom and United States to jointly reaffirm: “A nuclear war cannot be won and must never be fought”
Nuclear Threat Initiative7/6/2021
Today, Leadership Groups spanning the globe called on the Permanent Five members of the United Nations Security Council to jointly reaffirm the principle that “a nuclear war cannot be won and must never be fought.” Presidents Biden, Putin, and Xi have all reaffirmed their support for this principle during meetings that took place in June. With the support of Prime Minister Johnson and President Macron, a joint “P5” statement would provide a vital demonstration of leadership and clearly communicate that despite current tensions, leaders recognize their responsibility to work together to strengthen the Treaty on the Nonproliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) and prevent nuclear catastrophe.

1st U.N. nuke ban mtg. to discuss disarmament period with 10 yrs eyed
Kyodo News7/6/2021
Parties to a U.N. treaty prohibiting nuclear weapons are expected to discuss a deadline for complete nuclear disarmament, starting with a 10-year period at their first meeting set to be held next January, the conference’s president-designate said.

FacebookTwitterLinkedInEmailCopy Link