Daily News: 11/2013

November 27, 2013

Matt Spetalnick, "Americans back Iran deal by 2-to-1 margin: Reuters/Ipsos poll" Reuters / November 26, 2013 Americans back a newly brokered nuclear deal with Iran by a 2-to-1 margin and are very wary of the United States resorting to military action against Tehran even if the historic diplomatic effort falls through, a Reuters/Ipsos poll showed on Tuesday.... View Source ›

Ramin Mostaghim and Patrick J. McDonnell, "In Iran, nuclear deal met with guarded enthusiasm" Los Angeles Times / November 26, 2013 Many are hopeful that the interim accord will lead to the end of sanctions, even as conservatives criticize the terms as weighted against Iran.... View Source ›

Max Fisher, "Iran’s supreme leader publicly blesses the nuclear deal" The Washington Post / November 26, 2013 Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, the top political authority in Tehran, has sent a public letter to Iranian President Hassan Rouhani praising the interim nuclear agreement that Iran reached in Geneva this weekend with the United States and other world powers.... View Source ›

Laurence Norman, "EU to Maintain Sanctions on Most Iran Firms" The Wall Street Journal / November 26, 2013 The European Union will maintain sanctions against all but two Iranian firms that won challenges to the bloc's sanctions regime in EU courts in September, an EU official said Tuesday.... View Source ›

"N. Korea slams 'hostile' US, says to boost nuclear deterrent" AFP / November 27, 2013 North Korea on Wednesday slammed the United States for blocking denuclearisation talks with "absurd preconditions" that would only prompt Pyongyang to bolster its nuclear deterrent capacity.... View Source ›

Josh Rogin, "U.S. Knew Russia Violated Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty" The Daily Beast / November 26, 2013 The Kremlin cheated on a nuclear pact it signed with the United States, the U.S. government believes—and Secretary Kerry was briefed on the violations almost a year ago.... View Source ›

Audrey McAvoy, "Navy: Shipyard cuts may delay sub deployments" SF Gate / November 26, 2013 The Navy's top submarine commander in the Pacific says budget issues won't affect his ability to deploy submarines next year.... View Source ›

"Uranium seized in South Africa 'not from the continent': agency" AFP / November 25, 2013 A kilogramme of uranium seized in South Africa as it was allegedly being sold likely originated from a nuclear enrichment plant outside the continent, the country's nuclear energy agency said Monday.... View Source ›

November 26, 2013

"Next Up for Iran Talks: How Much Enrichment in Final Deal?" Global Security Newswire / November 25, 2013 The historic initial nuclear accord signed on Sunday by Iran and six world powers leaves uncertain a key question about how much uranium enrichment the Middle Eastern nation might be permitted to undertake in the longer-term final agreement, former officials and independent analysts told the New York Times for a Monday report.... View Source ›

Bradley Klapper, "Senators writing new sanctions in case Iran cheats" Associated Press / November 26, 2013 Leading Democratic and Republican senators are crafting legislation to reinstate the full force of sanctions and impose new ones if Iran doesn't make good on its pledge to roll back its nuclear program, brushing aside the Obama administration's fears about upending its diplomatic momentum.... View Source ›

Jeffrey Heller, "Wary of war, Israeli public gives Iran deal a chance" Reuters / November 25, 2013 Going about their business on Monday, Israelis seemed more accepting than their leader, Benjamin Netanyahu, of a nuclear deal with Iran that he rejected as a historic mistake.... View Source ›

"U.K. Trident Missile Life-Extension Annual Cost to Rise to $60 Million" Global Security Newswire / November 25, 2013 The United Kingdom is on the hook to pay tens of millions of dollars more in annual costs as part of a joint project with the United States to extend the life of the submarine-launched Trident ballistic missile, the Scottish Herald newspaper reported on Sunday.... View Source ›

November 25, 2013

Matthew Lee and Brian Murphy, "Anatomy of Iranian Nuclear Deal" Associated Press / November 25, 2013 In a potentially history-shaping choice of diplomacy over confrontation, the U.S. and other world powers agreed Sunday to give Iran six months to open its nuclear sites to possible daily inspections in exchange for allowing Tehran to maintain the central elements of its uranium program, in a multi-layered deal to test Iran's claim that it does not seek atomic weapons.... View Source ›

Lori Hinnant and Brian Murphy, "Easing of Iran Sanctions Could Start in December" Associated Press / November 25, 2013 European Union sanctions against Iran could be eased as soon as December, officials said Monday, after a potentially history-shaping deal that gives Tehran six months to increase access to its nuclear sites in exchange for keeping the core components of its uranium program.... View Source ›

Michael R. Gordon, "Longer-Term Deal With Iran Faces Major Challenges" The New York Times / November 24, 2013 The Obama administration’s successful push for an accord that would temporarily freeze much of Iran’s nuclear program has cast a spotlight on the more formidable challenge it now confronts in trying to roll the program back.... View Source ›

Siobhan Hughes, "Lawmakers Continue Push for New Iran Sanctions" The Wall Street Journal / November 24, 2013 A bloc of hardliners in the U.S. Senate refused to back down from threats to pass a new round of sanctions on Iran, setting up a clash with the Obama administration and undercutting its effort to buy time for a six-month deal to freeze Iran's nuclear program to work.... View Source ›

Bradley Klapper, Julie Pace and Matthew Lee, "Secret US-Iran talks set stage for nuke deal" Associated Press / November 24, 2013 With their destination and mission among America's closest guarded secrets, the small group of officials hand-picked by President Barack Obama boarded a military plane in March.... View Source ›

November 22, 2013

Louis Charbonneau and Parisa Hafezi, "Iran, six powers struggle to overcome snags in nuclear talks" Reuters / November 22, 2013 Iran and six world powers struggled on Friday, after two days of talks, to overcome stumbling blocks to an interim deal under which Tehran would curb its contested nuclear program in exchange for some relief from economic sanctions.... View Source ›

Paul Steinhauser, "CNN Poll: More than half back Iranian nuclear deal" CNN / November 21, 2013 A majority of Americans support an interim deal with Iran that would ease some economic sanctions on that country in exchange for concessions on Iran's nuclear program, according to a new national poll.... View Source ›

Bradley Klapper, "Senate Dems to Push Iran Sanctions Next Month" Associated Press / November 22, 2013 The Democratic-led Senate signaled Thursday it would only give President Barack Obama until next month before pressing ahead with new Iran sanctions, and a key Republican introduced legislation designed to limit the president's future negotiating ability with Tehran.... View Source ›

Jamey Keaten and John Heilprin, "Russian FM Lavrov to Join Iran Nuclear Talks" Associated Press / November 22, 2013 Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov threw his weight Friday behind nuclear talks with Iran, flying to Geneva to join senior negotiators struggling to seal a deal that would see Tehran start to roll back its atomic activities in exchange for sanctions relief.... View Source ›

Rachel Oswald, "Annual U.S. Congress Report on China is Curiously Light on Nuclear Arms Info" Global Security Newswire / November 22, 2013 An annual report on China produced for the U.S. Congress and released on Wednesday does not include as much information on the country's nuclear weapons program as in past years, according to experts.... View Source ›

John R. Emshwiller, "Mystery Remains on Missing Uranium" The Wall Street Journal / November 22, 2013 Long before a controversy arose over the fate of a nuclear dump near here, this small town was the site of a still-unresolved atomic mystery with potentially global implications.... View Source ›

November 21, 2013

George Jahn and John Heilprin, "Iran: Difficult Differences at Nuke Talks" Associated Press / November 20, 2013 Seven-nation talks on a deal meant to start a rollback of Iran's nuclear program in exchange for sanctions relief were delayed Thursday as senior envoys from both sides wrestled with a draft they hoped would be acceptable to both Tehran and its six world powers negotiating with it.... View Source ›

Jay Solomon, Stacy Meichtry and Farnaz Fassihi, "Iran's Comments on Israel Deemed 'Unacceptable' as Talks Open" The Wall Street Journal / November 20, 2013 Iran's leader launched an anti-Western broadside as global powers resumed negotiations on curbing Tehran's nuclear program, injecting fresh uncertainty into a diplomatic process viewed as crucial to Middle East stability.... View Source ›

John Irish and Parisa Hafezi, "France, Iran trade barbs but ministers may come for nuclear deal" Reuters / November 21, 2013 France and Iran traded tough words on Thursday as major powers struggled to finalize an interim deal to curb Tehran's nuclear program in exchange for sanctions relief, with Paris urging the West to remain firm and Tehran deploring a loss of trust.... View Source ›

"Iran Yields on Enrichment-Right Wording as Nuclear Talks Resume" Global Security Newswire / November 20, 2013 Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif's signal of flexibility this week regarding Western recognition of his nation's right to enrich uranium offered heightened anticipation of an international deal as talks resumed on Wednesday in Geneva, the London Guardian reported.... View Source ›

Matthew Pennington, "US: No Dialogue If NKorea Keeps Nukes Running" Associated Press / November 21, 2013 The Obama administration said Wednesday it wants to make Asia more stable and is open to negotiations with North Korea to tackle the threat posed by its nuclear weapons program — but not while the North keeps critical elements of its atomic program running.... View Source ›

Rachel Oswald, "U.S. Senator Seeks to Prevent Use of Chinese Technology in NATO Missile Shield" Global Security Newswire / November 20, 2013 A measure proposed on Tuesday in the U.S. Senate would prohibit Washington from financially supporting the integration of a Chinese missile system with U.S. technology that is to play an essential role in an evolving NATO defensive shield.... View Source ›

Douglas P. Guarino, "NRC Staff Rejects Concerns About Nuclear Reactor Vulnerability to Terrorism" Global Security Newswire / November 20, 2013 Nuclear Regulatory Commission staffers are rejecting the concerns of lawmakers, state officials and watchdog groups who say nuclear waste tightly packed in spent-fuel pools at U.S. power plants is vulnerable to terrorist attacks.... View Source ›

November 20, 2013

Justyna Pawlak and Fredrik Dahl, "World powers, Iran in new attempt to reach nuclear deal" Reuters / November 20, 2013 World powers resumed efforts to clinch a preliminary deal to curb Iran's nuclear program at talks in Geneva on Wednesday, with Russia and Britain confident that agreement can be reached.... View Source ›

Steve Weizman, "Netanyahu takes Iran nuclear campaign to Kremlin" AFP / November 20, 2013 Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu arrived on Thursday in Russia for talks with President Vladimir Putin, in a last-minute bid to influence an emerging nuclear deal with Iran strongly opposed by the Jewish state.... View Source ›

Marcus George and James Mackenzie, "Iran says sees good chance of success at Geneva nuclear talks" Reuters / November 20, 2013 The protracted dispute over Iran's nuclear programme can now be resolved and world powers should seize a "historic opportunity" to clinch a deal, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said in remarks released on Tuesday.... View Source ›

"N. Korea capable of producing weapons from uranium: S. Korea" AFP / November 20, 2013 North Korea is believed to be capable of producing nuclear weapons from enriched uranium as well as from its existing plutonium stockpile, South Korea's defence minister said Wednesday.... View Source ›

George Jahn and John Heilprin, "Iran's leader backs nuke talks, with conditions" Associated Press / November 20, 2013 Iran's supreme leader voiced support Wednesday for the negotiations over his country's nuclear program, but insisted there are limits to the concessions Iran will make in exchange for an easing of the sanctions choking its economy.... View Source ›

Elaine M. Grossman and Douglas P. Guarino, "White House Warns Senate Off of Warhead-Cost Measure" Global Security Newswire / November 19, 2013 The Obama administration on Monday evening pushed back against suggestions it might reconsider a costly plan for upgrading a pair of U.S. nuclear warheads due to increasing budget constraints and growing skepticism about the project's feasibility.... View Source ›

November 19, 2013

Patricia Zengerle, "U.S. congressional action on Iran sanctions unlikely this month" Reuters / November 18, 2013 Legislation to impose tough new sanctions on Iran is not expected to come to a vote in the Senate before December, after the end of the next round of negotiations over Tehran's nuclear program, U.S. lawmakers and congressional aides said on Monday.... View Source ›

Gwen Ackerman, "Israel Says It’s Influencing Debate on Iran Nuclear Deal" Bloomberg / November 18, 2013 An Israeli cabinet minister said world powers will take heed of his government’s concerns about a deal with Iran even as a former security adviser warned that Israel could still take matters into its own hands with a military strike.... View Source ›

Jonathan S. Landay, "Next round of Iran nuclear talks expected to focus on ‘right’ to enrich uranium" McClatchy / November 18, 2013 Iran’s assertion that it has the right to enrich uranium for peaceful purposes is expected to be a key focus of high-level international negotiations on Iran’s nuclear program that resume this week.... View Source ›

Oren Dorell, "Iran has developed a new nuclear site, dissidents say" USA Today / November 18, 2013 An Iranian dissident group says that Iran should grant United Nations inspectors immediate access to a site it alleged Monday is a newly-discovered undeclared site for Iran's nuclear work.... View Source ›

Amanda Hodge, "Australia to back India for nuclear watchdog group membership" The Australian / November 19, 2013 Australia will back India's full membership into the exclusive Nuclear Suppliers' Group - a non-proliferation watchdog set up specifically in response to India's first nuclear test in 1974, foreign minister Julie Bishop said in New Delhi last night.... View Source ›

"Sanctions stay unless Iran renounces nuclear arms: Hollande" AFP / November 18, 2013 President Francois Hollande said Monday that sanctions on Iran will remain in place as long as France is not convinced that Tehran has "definitively renounced" its alleged nuclear weapons programme.... View Source ›

November 18, 2013

"Iran: No Need for West to Declare Uranium 'Right'" Associated Press / November 17, 2013 Iran sees no need for world powers to publicly acknowledge its "right" to uranium enrichment, its foreign minister said Sunday, offering a potential way to sidestep another sticking point on a possible nuclear deal when talks resume later this week.... View Source ›

"Iran says next nuclear talks will be 'difficult'" AFP / November 17, 2013 Iran said Sunday nuclear talks with world powers this week will be "difficult," as France made four demands for a deal with Tehran and Israel warned against a "nightmare" accord.... View Source ›

Jeffrey Helley, "France assures Israel it will stand firm on Iran deal" Reuters / November 17, 2013 President Francois Hollande assured Israel on Sunday that France would continue to oppose an easing of economic sanctions against Iran until it was convinced Tehran had ended a pursuit of nuclear weapons.... View Source ›

"Turkey rejects further reduction of Iran oil imports" AFP / November 15, 2013 Turkey rejects making further reductions in its oil imports from neighbouring Iran, which is under US sanctions over its nuclear programme, the energy ministry said on Friday.... View Source ›

"U.S. to Hold More Talks on North Korea with East Asian States" Global Security Newswire / November 15, 2013 The United States will hold another round of talks with East Asian countries next week on how to engage North Korea over its nuclear weapons program -- the latest in a series of seemingly interminable discussions on the matter, the Yonhap News Agency reported on Friday.... View Source ›

"Air Force Chief: Bomber Cost to Be Tightly Capped" Global Security Newswire / November 15, 2013 The U.S. Air Force will keep costs and military requirements for its future bomber aircraft tightly constrained, service Chief of Staff Gen. Mark Welsh said this week.... View Source ›

November 15, 2013

"US Envoy to Visit China for Talks on NKorea" Associated Press / November 14, 2013 A senior U.S. envoy will travel next week to China, South Korea and Japan to discuss North Korea's nuclear weapons program... View Source ›

Matt Spetalnick, "Sanctions easing can be reversed if Iran does not deliver: Obama" Reuters / November 14, 2013 President Barack Obama sought to reassure skeptical U.S. lawmakers on Thursday that any easing of sanctions on Iran that emerges from negotiations could easily be reversed and "ramped back up" if Tehran fails to curb its nuclear program.... View Source ›

Justyna Pawlak, "EU to re-impose Iran sanctions quashed by court" Reuters / November 14, 2013 The European Union will re-impose asset freezes on several Iranian companies, annulled this year by court order, even as world powers appear close to a breakthrough deal with Tehran over its contested nuclear program.... View Source ›

Andrew E. Kramer, "Last Shipment of Nuclear Fuel From Russian Bombs Heads to U.S." The New York Times / November 14, 2013 The final shipment of civilian nuclear reactor fuel made from Soviet atomic bombs left port for the United States on Thursday, ending a post-Cold War program that has been a long-running boon for the American nuclear power industry.... View Source ›

"Decision on Chinese Antimissile System Expected in Six Months: Turkey" Global Security Newswire / November 14, 2013 A senior Turkish official on Thursday said it will likely take around six months for the government to decide whether to purchase a controversial Chinese antimissile system, Reuters reported.... View Source ›

Burgess Everett, "David Vitter amendment could delay Iran sanctions" Politico / November 14, 2013 In his quest to keep Congress from enacting new sanctions on Iran, President Barack Obama may have found an unlikely ally: Sen. David Vitter.... View Source ›

November 14, 2013

Patricia Zengerle and Timothy Gardner, "U.S. lawmakers question Obama's plea for Iran sanctions pause" Reuters / November 13, 2013 enior U.S. lawmakers expressed sharp frustration with the Obama administration's call to delay new sanctions against Iran on Wednesday, underscoring the difficult sales job the Democratic president has as he pursues a rapprochement with Tehran.... View Source ›

"Russian FM: Iran Backed US Nuclear Proposal" Associated Press / November 14, 2013 Russia's foreign minister says Iran had accepted a U.S.-draft proposal on a nuclear deal, but last-minute amendments blocked an accord last week in Geneva.... View Source ›

Fredrik Dahl, "No big change in Iran nuclear work under Rouhani: IAEA" Reuters / November 13, 2013 The head of the U.N. nuclear agency said on Wednesday he saw "no radical change" in Iran's nuclear program in the past three months, roughly since President Hassan Rouhani replaced his combative predecessor.... View Source ›

"Hezbollah chief warns of 'war' if no Iran deal" AFP / November 13, 2013 Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah warned in a rare public appearance Wednesday that failure to strike a deal with ally Iran over its nuclear programme would spell "war in the region."... View Source ›

Douglas P. Guarino, "Lawmaker Sees Fresh Push Toward Nuclear-Weapon Spending Cuts" Global Security Newswire / November 13, 2013 In a seemingly uphill battle aimed at making budget cuts to controversial nuclear weapons programs, Representative Mike Quigley (D-Ill.) is seeking inspiration from Chicago’s most beleaguered baseball team.... View Source ›

"Air Force to ‘add more rigor’ to screening of candidates for nuclear commander jobs" Associated Press / November 13, 2013 The Air Force has decided it must “add more vigor” to its screening of candidates for senior nuclear command, adding closer looks at health records and Internet searches for potentially damaging personal information about candidates who also have long military careers, the Air Force’s top general said Wednesday.... View Source ›

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