Top News: China says it will safeguard Iran nuclear deal, defend Sino-Iran ties Reuters North Korea missile launch tests Biden, alarms Japan ahead of Olympics Reuters ANALYSIS: It is time for a realistic bargain with North Korea Foreign Affairs United States ANALYSIS: It is time for a realistic bargain with North Korea Foreign AffairsEric Brewer, Sue Mi Terry 3/25/21 Denuclearization is probably out of reach for now – but it might be possible to reduce the nuclear threat. East Asia North Korea missile launch tests Biden, alarms Japan ahead of Olympics Reuters3/24/21 North Korea launched two suspected ballistic missiles into the sea near Japan on Thursday, underscoring steady progress in its weapons program and ramping up pressure on the new U.S. administration as it reviews North Korea policy. North Korea fires two ballistic missiles into Sea of Japan BBC3/24/21 Pyongyang is banned from testing ballistic missiles, considered threatening weapons, under UN Security Council resolutions. China nuclear reprocessing may create stockpiles of weapons-level materials Economic Times of India3/25/21 There is no evidence that China intents to divert its potential plutonium stockpile to weapons use, but concern has grown as Beijing is expected to boost its number of nuclear warheads over the next decade from the low 200s now. Middle East OPINION: Return to the Iran nuclear deal before talks on other issues Belfer CenterManon Dark 3/24/21 The Biden administration should focus on reversing Trump’s policy on Iran. OPINION: There’s no hurry for Biden to re-enter the Iran nuclear deal BloombergMeghan O’Sullivan 3/25/21 The administration wants to get both sides back into compliance before it negotiates a “longer and stronger” pact. That’s misguided diplomacy. China says it will safeguard Iran nuclear deal, defend Sino-Iran ties Reuters3/25/21 China will make efforts to safeguard the Iran nuclear deal and defend the legitimate interests of Sino-Iranian relations, the commerce ministry said on Thursday. Russia and Europe ANALYSIS: Responding to Russia’s northern fleet U.S. Naval InstituteCaptain Christopher Bott (Retired) 3/25/21 President Vladimir Putin’s vision of a return to great power status had a naval component from the beginning.