Top News One-third of Americans would support a preemptive nuclear strike on North Korea, researchers say Washington Post Trump has no plans to meet with North Korea’s Kim during South Korea visit: senior U.S. official Reuters Iran calls new U.S. sanctions ‘outrageous and idiotic,’ warns that path to diplomacy is permanently closed Washington Post East Asia One-third of Americans would support a preemptive nuclear strike on North Korea, researchers say Washington Post6/25/2019 More than a third of Americans would support a preemptive nuclear strike on North Korea if that country tested a long-range missile capable of reaching the United States, new research has found, even if that preemptive strike killed a million civilians. Trump says he sent North Korea’s Kim friendly letter Reuters6/24/2019 U.S. President Donald Trump said on Monday he sent North Korean leader Kim Jong Un a “very friendly letter” in response to birthday greetings he received last week from Kim. Trump has no plans to meet with North Korea’s Kim during South Korea visit: senior U.S. official Reuters6/24/2019 U.S. President Donald Trump has no plans to meet with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un when he travels to South Korea over the weekend after attending a summit of the Group of 20 leaders in Japan, a senior administration official said on Monday. Middle East Poll: 24 percent of voters want military action against Iran The Hill6/24/2019 As President Trump and his administration mull their next moves on Iran, a new poll found that less than a quarter of registered U.S. voters say they want the U.S. to take military action against Tehran. Trump believes he doesn’t need congressional approval to strike Iran CNN6/24/2019 President Donald Trump doesn’t believe he needs congressional approval to make a military strike against Iran, but he likes “the idea of keeping Congress abreast.” Trump levels sanctions against Iran, with a warning DefenseNews6/24/2019 President Donald Trump leveled new sanctions on Iran Monday saying America does not seek conflict, adding: “Never can Iran have a nuclear weapon.” Iran calls new U.S. sanctions ‘outrageous and idiotic,’ warns that path to diplomacy is permanently closed Washington Post6/25/2019 Iranian officials slammed the Trump administration Tuesday for new sanctions targeting the country’s leadership, saying the measures permanently closed the path to diplomacy and that the White House had “become mentally crippled” under the current president. Russia/FSU/Europe NATO calls on Russia to destroy new missile, warns of response Reuters6/25/2019 NATO urged Russia on Tuesday to destroy a new missile before an August deadline and save a treaty that keeps land-based nuclear warheads out of Europe or face a more determined alliance response in the region. Opinion and Analysis Why ‘Maximum Pressure’ on Iran Could Backfire BloombergDavid Fickling 6/25/2019 Middle East policymakers in Washington these days should take some advice from that noted diplomat, Bob Dylan. His adage “When you ain’t got nothing, you got nothing to lose” is getting tested with the Trump administration’s “maximum pressure” sanctions regime on Iran. The Question the Iran Hawks Haven’t Answered The AtlanticPeter Beinart 6/24/2019 What happens after the bombing starts? The people pushing for a fight with Tehran have offered only the vaguest details.