Top News: Before U.S.-Russia summit, measure demands any new missile treaties include China Defense News NNSA nominee: Pits could miss 2030 objective The Post and Courier Iran nuclear talks expected to resume on June 10 Reuters United States NNSA nominee: Pits could miss 2030 objective The Post and Courier6/2/21 President Joe Biden’s pick to lead the National Nuclear Security Administration on Thursday suggested a plan to craft nuclear weapon cores at the Savannah River Site had slipped in terms of schedule, potentially imperiling South Carolina’s expanded role in the modernization of the nation’s nuclear weapons. Biden goes ‘full steam ahead’ on Trump’s nuclear expansion despite campaign rhetoric Politico6/2/21 The decision to retain a low-yield warhead that was outfitted on submarine-launched ballistic missiles in 2019, and to initiate research into a new sea-launched cruise missile, has sparked an outcry. NNSA issues short-term contract extension to CNS Y126/2/21 The National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) announced its intention to extend the current contract for the management and operation of the NNSA’s Pantex Plant (Pantex) in Amarillo, Texas, and the Y-12 National Security Complex (Y-12) in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, on June 1. ANALYSIS: Emerging technologies could risk catastrophic nuclear escalation Kings College LondonMarina Favaro 6/2/21 New study analyses impact of emerging technologies on nuclear stability. East Asia ANALYSIS: U.S. and South Korea scrap ballistic-missile range limits IISSTimothy Wright 6/2/21 With the scrapping of the range limits on South Korea’s ballistic-missile programme, its long-standing aims to achieve ‘missile sovereignty’ could become a reality, explains Timothy Wright. Middle East Iran nuclear talks expected to resume on June 10 Reuters6/2/21 Indirect talks between Iran and the United States on both countries fully returning to the 2015 nuclear deal between Tehran and major powers are expected to resume on Thursday of next week, two diplomats said on Wednesday. EU official sees Iran nuclear deal at next round of talks Reuters6/2/21 The European Union envoy coordinating talks on reviving the Iran nuclear deal said on Wednesday he believed a deal would be struck at the next round of talks starting next week, but other senior diplomats said “the most difficult decisions lie ahead.” European diplomats hail progress in Iran nuclear deal talks Euronews6/3/21 European diplomats have hailed progress in the latest round of talks on Iran’s nuclear programme, expressing hope an agreement could soon be reached for the country to comply with the terms of the 2015 nuclear deal. China: Iran’s legitimate concerns on nuclear deal should be addressed CGTN6/3/21 A Chinese envoy said Wednesday that Iran’s legitimate concerns should be properly addressed during the negotiations to revive the 2015 Iran nuclear deal, officially known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA). Russia and Europe Before U.S.-Russia summit, measure demands any new missile treaties include China Defense News6/2/21 Ahead of a U.S.-Russia summit next month, one Republican lawmaker is proposing a higher bar for any new limits on America’s ballistic missile arsenal that the two sides might want to set. OPINION: In defense of silo-based MIRVed ICBMs Russian Forces – Pavel Podvig 6/2/21 http://russianforces.org/blog/ Silo-based multiple-warhead ICBMs have a consistently bad reputation with the arms control crowd and nuclear hawks alike.