Daily News: 12/2013

December 31, 2013

"Iranian official reports progress in nuclear talks with powers" Reuters / December 31, 2013 Six world powers and Iran have made good progress in expert talks in Geneva on how to roll out last month's landmark nuclear deal which obliges Tehran to suspend its most sensitive atom work, a senior Iranian official said on Tuesday.... View Source ›

Chen Aizhu, "China may raise Iran oil imports with new contract: sources" Reuters / December 31, 2013 China may buy more Iranian oil next year as a state trader is negotiating a new light crude contract that could raise imports from Tehran to levels not seen since tough Western sanctions were imposed in 2012, running the risk of upsetting Washington.... View Source ›

Ariel Ben Solomon, "Iran negotiating with Russia over construction of new nuclear plants" The Jerusalem Post / December 29, 2013 Iran and Russia are in discussions about the construction of four new nuclear power plants.... View Source ›

December 30, 2013

"Iran and world powers resume expert level nuclear talks" Reuters / December 30, 2013 Iran resumed technical talks with world powers in Geneva on Monday, a vital step in implementing a nuclear deal signed last month which suspends key elements of Tehran's nuclear program in exchange for limited sanctions relief.... View Source ›

"Chinese envoy vows to resume N. Korea nuclear talks: Seoul official" Yonhap News Agency / December 30, 2013 China's top nuclear envoy has acknowledged deep differences over the preconditions for resuming long-stalled dialogue on North Korea's nuclear weapons program, but emphasized that Beijing would continue diplomatic efforts to restart the talks soon, a Seoul diplomat said Monday.... View Source ›

"Iran installs 1,000 IR-2m centrifuges: nuclear chief" Xinhua / December 29, 2013 The Islamic republic has installed 1,000 second generation (IR-2m) centrifuges in one of its nuclear enrichment sites, Head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI) Ali-Akbar Salehi was quoted as saying by local media on Sunday.... View Source ›

Ramin Mostaghim, "Most Iranian lawmakers back nuclear speedup if U.S. adds sanctions" Los Angeles Times / December 29, 2013 More than two-thirds of the Iranian parliament has signed on to a bill that would accelerate Iran’s nuclear program if Congress adopts new sanctions legislation, official news agencies said. http://www.latimes.com/world/worldnow/la-fg-wn-iran-parliament-nuclear-sanctions-20131229,0,4436778.story#ixzz2oyAtaW2q... View Source ›

December 27, 2013

"Iran says it is developing new centrifuges" Associated Press / December 27, 2013 Iran's nuclear chief said the country is building a new generation of centrifuges for uranium enrichment but that they need further tests before they can be mass produced, apparently trying to counter hard-liner criticism of its nuclear deal with world powers.... View Source ›

"India test-fires nuclear-capable Agni-III missile" NDTV / December 23, 2013 India today test-fired its nuclear-capable Agni-III ballistic missile with a strike range of more than 3,000 km as part of a user trial by the Army from Wheeler Island off Odisha coast, defence sources said.... View Source ›

"Russia Test Fires New Yars Ballistic Missile" Ria Novosti / December 24, 2013 Russia carried out a successful test-firing of an RS-24 Yars ballistic missile from the Plesetsk Cosmodrome in northwest Russia on Tuesday, a military representative said.... View Source ›

"Russia to Test-Fly New Bomber in 2019" Reuters / December 24, 2013 The Russian Air Force plans to begin test flights of a new strategic bomber in 2019, the commander of the long-range fleet said Monday.... View Source ›

December 26, 2013

Ramin Mostaghim and Paul Richter, "Iran lawmakers threaten nuclear speed-up if Congress adds sanctions" Los Angeles Times / December 25, 2013 More than a third of Iran’s parliament has signed on to a bill ordering an acceleration of the country’s nuclear program if Congress follows through with new sanctions, lawmakers said.... View Source ›

Shamil Shams, "Sino-Pakistani nuclear deal: A risky affair" Deutsche Welle / December 25, 2013 China has promised to finance the construction of two nuclear power reactors in Pakistan. Critics say that Beijing's atomic deal with Islamabad is not a good idea considering Pakistan's history of proliferation.... View Source ›

Yifa Yaakov, "Let me leave Israel, nuclear leaker Vanunu implores court" The Times of Israel / December 26, 2013 Saying he has ‘no future’ in the country, nuclear leaker urges state to ease the restrictions preventing him from emigrating... View Source ›

"Russia’s second next-gen nuclear sub enters service" RT / December 23, 2013 On Monday, the Russian Navy’s second Borey-class nuclear-powered submarine, the Aleksandr Nevsky, has entered service. The sub is part of a next-generation class that will be the backbone of Russia’s sea-based nuclear deterrent for decades to come.... View Source ›

"CBO Report: U.S. Nuclear Arsenal Cost Spikes 72 Percent Over Next Decade" Global Security Newswire / December 23, 2013 Current U.S. plans for maintaining and modernizing the nuclear arsenal are projected to cost taxpayers roughly $355 billion in the next 10 years, Reuters reports.... View Source ›

December 20, 2013

Joby Warrick and Karen DeYoung, "On Iran, senators defy White House, threaten new sanctions" The Washington Post / December 19, 2013 A bipartisan group of 26 senators introduced legislation Thursday that threatened new sanctions against Iran, dismissing warnings from the White House that such a move could scuttle efforts to peacefully resolve the dispute over Iran’s nuclear program.... View Source ›

Reid J. Epstein, "W.H.: Obama would veto Iran sanctions bill" Politico / December 19, 2013 President Barack Obama would veto an Iran sanctions bill with Democratic co-sponsors, White House press secretary Jay Carney said Thursday... View Source ›

Tom Miles and Justyna Pawlak, "Iran, six world powers resume expert talks on nuclear deal" Reuters / December 19, 2013 Iran and six world powers resumed expert-level talks in Geneva on Thursday to work out how to put into practice a landmark deal obliging Tehran to curb its nuclear program in return for some relief from economic sanctions.... View Source ›

"Iran deal removes need for U.S. missile shield, Russia says" Reuters / December 19, 2013 A successful deal to curb Iran's nuclear program would remove the need for the United States to build an anti-missile shield in Europe, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Thursday.... View Source ›

"Pakistan to Replace Top Nuclear-Arms Official" Global Security Newswire / December 19, 2013 Pakistan has named a new leader for its Strategic Plans Division, which develops and safeguards the nation's nuclear arsenal, Kyodo News reports.... View Source ›

December 19, 2013

"Iran nuclear talks to resume in Geneva Thursday" AFP / December 18, 2013 Talks between Iran and world powers on implementing last month's nuclear deal will resume Thursday in Geneva, a spokesman for EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton, and Tehran, said Wednesday.... View Source ›

Ali Gharib, "Top Senate Democrats Break with With House and Circle New Iran Sanctions Bill" Foreign Policy / December 18, 2013 Three top senators, including two Democrats, have begun circulating a draft of a new Iran sanctions bill that critics say could violate the terms of an agreement struck between Iran and the United States in Geneva last month. ... View Source ›

Bill Gertz, "Inside the Ring: Dispute between foreign minister, Republican guard commander in Iran" The Washington Times / December 18, 2013 U.S. intelligence agencies are monitoring a political dispute between Iran’s foreign minister, who is a key player in nuclear talks, and the commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), the hard-line shock troops behind the Islamist regime in Tehran.... View Source ›

"Seoul Says North Korea Is Unlikely to Conduct Nuclear Test in Near Term" Global Security Newswire / December 18, 2013 North Korea is unlikely to carry out a new nuclear test anytime soon, said a South Korean government minister, disputing a lawmaker's previous comments.... View Source ›

"Russia May Revive Rail-Mobile ICBMs to Counter U.S. Prompt-Strike Arms" Global Security Newswire / December 18, 2013 Russia intends to revive a rail-based strategic missile capability in response to U.S. plans to develop a conventional long-range strike capacity.... View Source ›

December 18, 2013

Laurence Norman, "Iran Nuclear Deal Talks Expected to Resume This Week" The Wall Street Journal / December 17, 2013 Talks on implementing last month's interim nuclear deal between Iran and six major powers are set to resume this week, two European diplomats said Tuesday.... View Source ›

Paul D. Shinkman, "Russia Confirms Mobilization of Ballistic Missiles" U.S. News / December 17, 2013 Russia celebrated its annual "Strategic Missile Force Day" on Dec. 17 in style, confirming recent reports that it has repositioned nuclear weapons to its border with NATO allies.... View Source ›

Steve Gutterman, "Russia plans new ICBM to replace Cold War 'Satan' missile" Reuters / December 17, 2013 Russia will begin deploying a new type of long-range missile in 2018 to replace a Cold War standby known in the West as "Satan", a military commander said on Tuesday in a signal to the United States that Moscow is improving its nuclear arsenal.... View Source ›

"Sole U.S. Uranium Enricher to Pursue Bankruptcy" Global Security Newswire / December 17, 2013 The only domestic U.S. uranium-enrichment company on Monday said it plans to seek bankruptcy within months, the New York Times reports.... View Source ›

Rachel Oswald, "Congress Moves to Solidify Pentagon Oversight of Nuclear Communications" Global Security Newswire / December 17, 2013 Congress is getting set to tell the Pentagon to create a new body to oversee technologies that facilitate U.S. leaders' communications during nuclear crises.... View Source ›

December 17, 2013

"Kerry, Zarif spoke last week after fresh Iran-related sanctions" Reuters / December 16, 2013 The U.S. and Iranian foreign ministers last week discussed the importance of carrying out the November 24 Iran nuclear deal after Washington blacklisted 19 companies, people and vessels for dealing with Tehran, a U.S. official said on Monday.... View Source ›

David Stout, "South Korean Official: The North is Preparing for Another Nuclear Test" Time / December 17, 2013 A member of South Korea’s parliamentary intelligence committee claimed Tuesday that North Korea might be preparing to conduct a fourth nuclear test and another missile launch, the Yonhap news agency reports.... View Source ›

Vladimir Isachenkov, "Reports about Russian missile deployment near NATO countries raise concerns" Associated Press / December 16, 2013 Lithuania and Poland expressed concern on Monday about signals that Russia has deployed state-of-the-art missiles in a territory that borders the NATO countries.... View Source ›

"Russia Constructing Large New Depot for Nuclear Weapons" Global Security Newswire / December 16, 2013 Russia has begun constructing a new nuclear-missile storage complex not far from its border with Norway, the Barents Observer reports.... View Source ›

"British Nuclear-Arms Guards Accused of Sleeping on Job" Global Security Newswire / December 16, 2013 Britain is examining claims that personnel guarding nuclear warheads slept at work and did not finish their rounds, the London Guardian reports.... View Source ›

December 16, 2013

David Ignatius, "Iran committed to making a deal" The Washington Post / December 15, 2013 Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said that despite hitting a “snag” in nuclear negotiations last week, Iran is  committed “100 percent” to reaching a comprehensive final agreement. But he voiced tough positions on key issues and said “it’s going to be a bumpy road,” with difficult bargaining ahead.... View Source ›

"Sweden: No reason why EU Iran sanctions will not be eased in Jan." Reuters / December 14, 2013 There is no reason why the European Union could not relax some sanctions on Iran in January as part of an interim deal between Tehran and major powers to curb its nuclear programme, Swedish Foreign Minister Carl Bildt said on Saturday.... View Source ›

Ladane Nasseri and Indira A.R. Lakshmanan, "Iran Nuclear Deal’s Implementation Needs ‘Work’: Mann" Bloomberg / December 13, 2013 “After four days of lengthy and detailed talks, reflecting the complexity of the technical issues discussed, it became clear that further work is needed,” Michael Mann, spokesman for EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton, says in e-mailed statement.... View Source ›

"Kerry says North Korea's leader reckless, ruthless" Reuters / December 15, 2013 U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry described North Korea's Kim Jong Un as reckless and insecure after the execution of the leader's powerful uncle, and said Kim's actions underscored a need for a unified stand against Pyongyang's nuclear program.... View Source ›

Elaine M. Grossman, "Bipartisan Bill Filed to Heighten Oversight of U.S. Nuclear Trade" Global Security Newswire / December 13, 2013 House lawmakers on Friday offered a bill aimed at addressing concerns that White House nuclear trade policy risks the further spread of illicit weapons.... View Source ›

Jordain Carney, "U.S. Going After Additional Companies Tied to Iran" Global Security Newswire / December 13, 2013 The United States is targeting more than a dozen companies and individuals for violating sanctions against Iran and supporting the country's nuclear program.... View Source ›

December 13, 2013

Carol E. Lee and Jay Solomon, "White House Wins Delay on New Iran Sanctions" The Wall Street Journal / December 12, 2013 Lawmakers Will Not Vote on Measures This Year as Administration Pursues Diplomacy... View Source ›

Fredrik Dahl, "Iran, big powers' nuclear talks complex, need more time: EU" Reuters / December 13, 2013 Iran and six world powers need more time to work out complex technical steps on implementing last month's deal for Tehran to curb its nuclear program, the European Union said on Friday after four days of expert-level talks in Vienna.... View Source ›

Louis Charbonneau, "U.N. Iran panel chair urges states to keep enforcing sanctions" Reuters / December 12, 2013 The Australian chairman of the U.N. Security Council's Iran sanctions committee on Thursday urged the United Nations' 193 member states to continue enforcing U.N. sanctions against Tehran over its nuclear program.... View Source ›

Douglas P. Guarino, "Compromise Bill Limits Restrictions on Nuclear Arms Control Efforts" Global Security Newswire / December 12, 2013 A new defense conference bill includes limits on nuclear arms control efforts, but the restrictions are not as prohibitive as some House Republicans wanted.... View Source ›

Derrek Asberry, "Proposed defense act calls for $360M for MOX facility" Aiken Standard / December 13, 2013 Congressional negotiators OK'd $360 million this week for the Savannah River Site's MOX project for the new fiscal year in its defense act proposal.... View Source ›

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