Top News: Russia’s nuclear policy remains defensive – Chief of the General Staff Tass U.S. seizes Iran-linked websites at key point in nuclear talks The New York Times North Korea gives the U.S. the cold shoulder on nuclear talks The Wall Street Journal United States U.S. seizes Iran-linked websites at key point in nuclear talks The New York TimesLara Jakes, Farnaz Fassihi, and Katie Benner 6/22/2021 The Biden administration blocked access on Tuesday to several dozen websites linked to Iran, American and Iranian officials said, just as negotiations to bring the United States and Tehran back into an international nuclear accord appeared to be nearing a final decision. MDA sees EW, cyber for future missile defense Breaking Defense6/22/21 “The future will be a mix of kinetic and non-kinetic. It will be a mix of hard kill and soft kill, because of where the threat is going to. The threat will drive us to do something different,” says Vice Adm. Jon Hill, who heads the Missile Defense Agency. ANALYSIS: Biden looks for a new, New START Foreign PolicyJack Detsch 6/22/2021 In the nuclear space, a complicated tit-for-tat between the two sides is emerging that is likely to test Biden’s patience. Russian negotiators, including Ryabkov, have already begun publicly and privately urging upgraded U.S. missile defenses be limited in a new deal. East Asia North Korea gives the U.S. the cold shoulder on nuclear talks The Wall Street JournalTimothy W. Martin and Andrew Jeong 6/23/2021 In nuclear diplomacy with the U.S., North Korea is playing hard to get, for now. OPINON: Exaggerating challenge from China threatens U.S. security ForbesWilliam Hartung 6/22/21 Official Washington has identified China as the primary challenger to the United States in virtually every sphere. Middle East Iran: ‘Sabotage attack’ on civilian nuclear center thwarted Associated Press6/23/2021 Iranian authorities have thwarted what they called a “sabotage attack” targeting a civilian nuclear facility near the country’s capital, state TV reported Wednesday, as details about the incident remained scarce. OPINION: Following Raisi’s election, Israel unsure whether Tehran intends to sign Nuclear Deal HaaretzJonathan Lis 6/23/2021 Israel is having trouble figuring out whether Iran is close to signing a new nuclear deal, or whether Ebrahim Raisi’s election as president reflects a radicalization that will lead to the talks collapsing and Tehran proceeding rapidly toward building nuclear weapons. ANALYSIS: Iran has a new president. What does that mean for the Nuclear Deal? Council on Foreign RelationsRay Takeyh 6/22/2021 Ebrahim Raisi, a staunch regime loyalist, can be expected to follow through on talks to revive the nuclear deal but rebuff attempts to further limit Iran’s weapons programs and regional behavior. ANALYSIS: Iran-U.S. nuclear talks on a hair trigger Foreign PolicyMichael Hirsh 6/22/2021 Perhaps the most jarring irony of the monthslong negotiations to restore the 2015 nuclear pact with Iran is that both Tehran and Washington badly want to make it happen—yet, in the end, may not be able to. Russia and Europe Russia’s nuclear policy remains defensive – Chief of the General Staff Tass6/23/21 Valery Gerasimov stressed that nuclear deterrence remained an element of strategic stability.