TOP NEWS Benjamin Netanyahu’s Iran Deal Speech Might Have Convinced the Only Person Who Matters TIME Stolen Iranian Nuclear Plans May Trigger New Inspections NPR Russia says its sea-based nuclear power plant is safe. Critics call it a ‘Floating Chernobyl.’ Washington Post China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi to visit North Korea this week South China Morning Post EAST ASIA North Korea requests opening of new international air routes: Report Strait Times5/2/18 North Korea has submitted a request for the opening of new international air routes with the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO), a South Korean newspaper has reported. China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi to visit North Korea this week South China Morning Post4/30/18 Diplomat’s trip comes in wake of the summit between North and South Korea and suggestions that China may be left out of talks to rid the peninsula of nuclear weapons MIDDLE EAST Stolen Iranian Nuclear Plans May Trigger New Inspections NPR5/1/18 Former weapons inspectors say an apparent trove of information on Iran’s nuclear weapons program will increase pressure for more intrusive inspections of its atomic sites. Condoleezza Rice defends Trump leaving Iran nuclear deal The Hill5/1/18 Former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said Tuesday that while she would prefer the United States remained part of the Iran nuclear deal, it won’t be “the end of the world” if President Trump decides to pull out. China reiterates call to continue upholding Iran nuclear deal Reuters5/2/18 China’s foreign ministry on Wednesday reiterated that all sides should continue to uphold the Iran nuclear agreement, and that the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has said many times Iran is in compliance with the deal. Statement on Iran by the IAEA Spokesperson IAEA5/1/18 Based on the Director General’s report, the Board of Governors declared that its consideration of this issue was closed. Trump looks set to scrap Iran’s nuclear deal — and this is where it’ll hurt the most CNBC5/1/18 Iran’s fragile economic recovery is in jeopardy with President Donald Trump widely expected to scrap an internationally-brokered nuclear deal and re-impose sanctions against the regime. Benjamin Netanyahu’s Iran Deal Speech Might Have Convinced the Only Person Who Matters TIME5/2/18 Did Netanyahu succeed, then, in convincing his audience that Iran is not a reliable partner and that the 2015 agreement was reached in bad faith? That very much depends on who he was speaking to. RUSSIA/FSU/EUROPE Russia says its sea-based nuclear power plant is safe. Critics call it a ‘Floating Chernobyl.’ Washington Post5/1/18 If a Russian state-owned company has its way, remote regions of the world will soon see giant, floating nuclear reactors pumping power to port cities and drilling platforms in a real-life version of the Soviet reversal joke: In Russia, 70-megawatt nuclear reactor comes to you. OPINION AND ANALYSIS Did Israel Inadvertently Make Case for Staying in Nuke Agreement? The American ConservativeTrita Parsi 5/2/18 Benjamin Netanyahu is trying to bring the U.S. to the brink of war with Iran, but he might have achieved the opposite. Behold, the marticle (a primer on how to avoid only quoting men as sources) PoynterAlexandra Bell and Kelsey Davenport 4/30/18 More often than not, women are conspicuously absent from media coverage on Iran, North Korea, bilateral and multilateral arms control, civil nuclear cooperation, nuclear terrorism, and more. Benjamin Netanyahu’s Nuclear Nothingburger New York TimesSteven Simon 5/1/18 If the president can convince us that the Iran nuclear deal damages our national interest, which encompasses the security of our allies, very well. But if he can’t, then I’d prefer not to hear it from a foreign leader. The Panmunjom Declaration: What it wasn’t supposed to be Bulletin of the Atomic ScientistsDuyeon Kim 5/1/18 The two Koreas’ Panmunjom Declaration announced on Friday led to much international disappointment about the vagueness of the remarks regarding denuclearization. Panmunjom Spring 38NorthJohn Delury 5/1/18 The best diplomacy fuses symbolism and substance, takes risks in order to build confidence, advances interests while listening to the other side, invites in the public but gives leaders the space needed for authentic dialogue. A Nobel for Trump? SlateFred Kaplan 5/1/18 Trump may deserve some credit for the Korea talks, but not as much as he thinks. On Iran and North Korea, Trump prepares to screw everything up Washington PostPaul Waldman 5/1/18 But eventually Trump has to make a decision. And when he takes the United States out of the Iran agreement, as he probably will, that will all but guarantee that Kim won’t be willing to scrap his nukes because the United States says it will give North Korea something in return. Trump should strengthen the Iran nuclear deal, not blow it up Washington PostMax Boot 5/1/18 There is nothing in Israel’s revelations that contradicts that assessment of the U.S. intelligence community that Iran is complying with the terms of the nuclear deal. How bullying Iran could backfire for Trump ReutersSeyed Hossein Mousavian 5/1/18 Implicit in Trump’s approach is that he can bully and pressure Iran into meeting his demands. However, the track record of U.S.-Iran relations since the 1979 Iranian revolution leaves little room to believe that Iran concedes to pressure. Bibi’s Infomercial for the Iran Deal Foreign PolicyJeffrey Lewis 5/1/18 Smoke and mirrors aside, the Israeli prime minister’s presentation was an endorsement of existing nuclear diplomacy with Tehran. To Win a Nobel, Trump Should Look to the Iran Deal New York TimesAntony J. Blinken 5/2/18 Instead of shredding the Iran accord, Mr. Trump should apply its basic template to North Korea. Why North Korea will give up its nukes Washington PostSpencer Kim 5/1/18 By historically meeting with South Korean President Moon Jae-in Friday, Pyongyang has shown what is most important. Nukes are, and always were, subservient to regime well-being.