Top News: New satellite images hint how Russian Navy could use massive nuclear torpedoes USNI North Korea’s apparent plutonium moves boost nuclear program, invite U.S. attention Wall Street Journal Iran hints nuclear talks may not resume until November Bloomberg United States OPINION: President Biden can change U.S. policy to help prevent nuclear war Ploughshares Fund8/31/21 As the Biden-Harris Administration begins a major review of US nuclear policy, Ploughshares Fund today releases a new interactive report recommending that President Biden focus the Nuclear Posture Review on one overarching goal: preventing accidental nuclear warfare. OPINION: Biden must avoid another fiasco with Iran after Afghanistan debacle Heritage – James Phillips 8/31/21 Iran’s Islamist regime has repeatedly violated its nuclear nonproliferation commitments. East Asia North Korea’s apparent plutonium moves boost nuclear program, invite U.S. attention Wall Street Journal8/30/21 Suspected activity at Yongbyon appears to be aimed at elevating the country as a U.S. priority, while increasing Pyongyang’s weapons pile. Renewed activity at N. Korea nuclear reactor ‘deeply troubling’, IAEA says Reuters8/30/21 North Korea appears to have restarted a nuclear reactor that is widely believed to have produced plutonium for nuclear weapons, the U.N. atomic watchdog said in an annual report, highlighting the isolated nation’s efforts to expand its arsenal. OPINION: U.S. Strategic Command general aspires to muddy the water of nuclear arsenals Global Times – Hu Xijin 8/29/21 U.S. Air Force Lieutenant General Thomas Bussiere, who is deputy commander of the US Strategic Command which oversees the nuclear arsenal, said on Friday that China will soon surpass Russia as the top nuclear threat of the U.S. Middle East Iran hints nuclear talks may not resume until November Bloomberg8/31/21 Iran’s new government may not resume negotiations with world powers to revive the 2015 nuclear deal until late November, dashing hopes of a quick conclusion of talks that would allow Iranian oil back onto the market in exchange for curbs on its nuclear program. ANALYSIS: What’s Iran’s nuclear deal? War on the Rocks – Samuel Hickey, Manuel Reinert 8/31/21 President Joe Biden’s much-discussed plans to rejoin the Iran nuclear deal are off to a bad start. After six rounds, indirect talks between Washington and Tehran were put on hold last June until Iran’s new president, Ebrahim Raisi, could take office on Aug. 5. Now, almost a month later, there is still no indication of when the next diplomatic session will take place. Russia and Europe Russia, U.S. to hold talks on nuclear strategic stability next month Reuters8/31/21 Russia will hold a new round of talks with the United States on nuclear strategic stability next month, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Tuesday. New satellite images hint how Russian Navy could use massive nuclear torpedoes USNI8/31/21 The Russian Navy continues to develop how it intends to deploy its latest strategic weapon – a bus-sized torpedo tipped with a nuclear warhead. International Arms Control Identifying collaborative actions to reduce nuclear dangers UNIDIR9/1/21 This paper showcases key propositions, findings, and recommendations from the UNIDIR dialogue on Nuclear Disarmament, Nuclear Deterrence, and Strategic Arms Control, which brought together a diverse group of policymakers, experts, and civil society representatives from around the world.