June 30, 2015

Siavosh Ghazi and Simon Sturdee, "Iran's Zarif back at nuclear talks seeking 'just' deal" AFP / July 1, 2015 Iran's foreign minister kept his cards close to his chest Tuesday as he returned to the fray in marathon nuclear talks with major powers after consultations in Tehran, saying only he wants a "just" deal.... View Source ›

Ladane Nasseri, "Rouhani’s Brother Joins Iran Nuclear Talks as Deal Within Reach" Bloomberg / June 30, 2015 Iranian President Hassan Rouhani’s brother and aide, Hossein Fereydoun, will join nuclear negotiators in Vienna on Tuesday as diplomats say an accord between the Islamic Republic and world powers is within reach.... View Source ›

Bradley Klapper and George Jahn, "Nuke talks set for several more days; signs of backtracking" Associated Press / June 29, 2015 World powers and Iran prepared to move past Tuesday’s deadline for a comprehensive nuclear agreement, with officials suggesting significant backtracking by Tehran’s negotiators that may need several more days of discussions to resolve.... View Source ›

Matthew Lee and Bradley Klapper, "Iranian minister: I have a mandate to clinch nuke deal" Associated Press / June 30, 2015 Iran's chief diplomat insisted Tuesday he had a mandate to finalize a nuclear agreement despite increased signs of backtracking by his country's supreme leader, as talks with world powers were set to blow past Tuesday's self-imposed deadline without a deal.... View Source ›

Michael R. Gordon and David E. Sanger, "U.S. Tells Iran That Preliminary Nuclear Deal Must Stand" New York Times / June 29, 2015 The United States warned Iran on Monday, in both English and Persian, that a preliminary agreement reached two months ago in Switzerland must remain the basis for a final nuclear deal.... View Source ›

Dan Perry and George Jahn, "For world, limited options if Iran talks fall apart" Associated Press / June 29, 2015 The Iranian nuclear talks are playing out in classic fashion: A self-imposed deadline appears to have been extended due to stubborn disputes, with the sides publicly sticking to positions and facing internal pressure from opponents ready to pounce on any compromise.... View Source ›

June 29, 2015

George Jahn, "Nuke talks to miss target; Iran foreign minister heads home" Associated Press / June 28, 2015 A senior U.S. official acknowledged Sunday that Iran nuclear talks will go past their June 30 target date, as Iran’s foreign minister prepared to head home for consultations before returning to push for a breakthrough.... View Source ›

Louis Charbonneau and Arshad Mohammed, "Western officials suggest Iran tries to wiggle out of nuclear pledges" Reuters / June 29, 2015 Iran is backtracking from an interim nuclear agreement with world powers three months ago, Western officials suggested on Sunday, as U.S. and Iranian officials said talks on a final accord would likely run past a June 30 deadline.... View Source ›

David E. Sanger and Michael R. Gordon, "Crucial Questions Remain as Iran Nuclear Talks Approach Deadline" New York Times / June 28, 2015 Iran’s top nuclear negotiator was heading back to Tehran on Sunday to consult with his nation’s leadership, as negotiators remained divided over how to limit and monitor Tehran’s nuclear program and even on how to interpret the preliminary agreement they reached two months ago.... View Source ›

Jay Solomon, "Iran Wish List Led Nuclear Deal Talks With U.S." Wall Street Journal / June 29, 2015 Years of clandestine exchanges between the two countries helped build a foundation for nuclear negotiations... View Source ›

Paul Richter, "Iranian leader's motives unclear as nuclear talks resume" LA Times / June 27, 2015 As international negotiators gathered here Saturday for what is supposed to be a final round of nuclear diplomacy with Iran, the hope of achieving a deal hinges on a mystery: What does Iranian supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei really want?... View Source ›

John Irish, "France's Fabius says three conditions still not met for Iran deal" Reuters / June 27, 2015 France's foreign minister said on Saturday there were three conditions that Iran still needed to accept to ensure a "solid" agreement with major powers over its nuclear program.... View Source ›

June 26, 2015

Laura Koran and Elise Labott, "U.S.: Text of Iran nuclear deal will be made public but not signed" CNN / June 25, 2015 The U.S. expects that the text of any potential deal with Iran, including detailed technical annexes, will be made public but not be signed by the negotiating parties, a senior administration official told reporters Thursday.... View Source ›

Arshad Mohammed and David Brunnstrom, "Kerry cautiously hopeful before Iran nuclear talks" Reuters / June 26, 2015 U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said on Thursday he was hopeful about nuclear negotiations with Iran but that he did not wish to convey optimism ahead of a June 30 deadline for a deal... View Source ›

Louis Charbonneau and Paris Hafezi, "Kerry tells Iran foreign minister 'the past does matter' - sources" Reuters / June 25, 2015 U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry telephoned Iran's foreign minister in recent days to tell him that Tehran must answer questions about whether its past atomic research was arms-related if it wants a nuclear deal, officials said.... View Source ›

Patricia Zengerle, "U.S. lawmakers lay down 'red lines' on Iran nuclear deal" Reuters / June 25, 2015 As talks on an Iran nuclear deal enter the final stretch, U.S. lawmakers are sharpening warnings against a "weak" agreement and laying down red lines that, if crossed, could prompt Congress to trip up a carefully crafted international p... View Source ›

Jo Biddle and Simon Sturdee, "US says Iran nuclear deal deadline may 'slip'" AFP / June 26, 2015 High-stakes talks to nail down a historic deal with Iran to curtail its nuclear programme may "slip" past a June 30 deadline, a top US official admitted Thursday ahead of crunch weekend negotiations in Vienna.... View Source ›

Jay Solomon, "Iran Leader’s Terms Complicate Talks as Deadine Nears" Wall Street Journal / June 26, 2015 Strict terms set by Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on his country’s nuclear program this week rattled Western governments and staunch supporters of the White House’s negotiations with Tehran just days ahead of a diplomatic deadline.... View Source ›

June 25, 2015

David Sanger, "Ex-Advisers Warn Obama That Iran Nuclear Deal ‘May Fall Short’ of Standards" New York Times / June 25, 2015 Five former members of President Obama’s inner circle of Iran advisers have written an open letter expressing concern that a pending accord to stem Iran’s nuclear program “may fall short of meeting the administration’s own standard of a ‘good’ agreement” and laying out a series of minimum requirements that Iran must agree to in coming days for them to support a final deal.... View Source ›

George Jahn, "Iranian foreign minister to join nuclear talks on Friday" Associated Press / June 25, 2015 With significant gaps standing in the way of an Iran nuclear deal, foreign ministers at the seven-nation talks are adding their diplomatic muscle to the negotiations ahead of a June 30 target date for an agreement.... View Source ›

John Irish, "France voices concerns on Iran talks after Khamenei comments" Reuters / June 24, 2015 French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius said on Wednesday that declarations from Iranian leaders appeared not to favor an international deal on the country's nuclear program.... View Source ›

Carol Morello, "Iran sets strict conditions for nuclear deal" Washington Post / June 24, 2015 Just days before Secretary of State John F. Kerry heads to Vienna to join nuclear talks with Iran, the country’s supreme leader is staking out what he considers the “major red lines,” any one of which could sink a deal.... View Source ›

John Irish, "France, Saudi Arabia inch closer to civil nuclear deal" Reuters / June 24, 2015 France and Saudi Arabia agreed on Wednesday to press ahead with feasibility studies to build two flagship Areva-designed EPR nuclear reactors as the two allies firm up business ties amid tensions across the region.... View Source ›

June 24, 2015

Peter Kenyon, "Iran Nuclear Talks: Gap Remains Over Access To Iran's Military Sites" NPR / June 24, 2015 Talks with Iran are entering a final push before a temporary deal expires. Negotiators are seeking extensive inspections and limits on Iran's nuclear program in exchange for eased economic sanctions.... View Source ›

Sam Wilkin, "WikiLeaks Saudi cable says Iran shipped nuclear equipment to Sudan" Reuters / June 23, 2015 Saudi diplomats in Khartoum believed Iran shipped advanced nuclear equipment including centrifuges to Sudan in 2012, according to a document leaked last week that WikiLeaks says is a cable from the embassy.... View Source ›

Parisa Hafezi, "Iran's Khamenei rules out freezing sensitive nuclear work for long period" Reuters / June 23, 2015 Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Tuesday ruled out freezing sensitive nuclear work in the country for a long time and said sanctions imposed on it should be lifted as soon it reaches a final deal with major powers, state TV reported.... View Source ›

Thomas Erdbrink and David E. Sanger, "Iran’s Supreme Leader, Khamenei, Seems to Pull Back on Nuclear Talks" NY Times / June 23, 2015 With exactly a week left before the deadline for a final agreement to limit Iran’s nuclear program, the country’s supreme leader appeared to undercut several of the central agreements his negotiators have already reached with the West.... View Source ›

"AP Exclusive: Document Outlines Big-Power Nuke Help to Iran" AP / June 24, 2015 The United States and other nations negotiating a nuclear deal with Iran are ready to offer high-tech reactors and other state-of-the-art equipment to Tehran if it agrees to crimp programs that can make atomic arms, according to a confidential document obtained Tuesday by The Associated Press.... View Source ›

June 23, 2015

Carol E. Lee, "U.S. Group Urges Hard Line on Key Areas in Iran Nuclear Deal" Wall Street Journal / June 22, 2015 The Obama administration is coming under increasing pressure to take a hard line with Iran on several key elements of a nuclear deal that remain in flux as negotiators work to complete an agreement by the end of the month.... View Source ›

Jamey Keaten, "Iran, EU hold nuclear talks as June 30 deadline nears" Associated Press / June 22, 2015 Iran’s foreign minister dropped in on a meeting of his EU counterparts on Monday, predicting intense and difficult days ahead before a June 30 deadline to strike a deal with world powers over Tehran’s nuclear program.... View Source ›

Adrian Croft and Philip Blenkinsop, "France wants strong nuclear agreement with Iran" Reuters / June 22, 2015 France wants a robust nuclear agreement with Iran that must include a strong verification mechanism to check Tehran's compliance with any deal, French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius said on Monday.... View Source ›

Paul Richter, "Mideast allies fear U.S. will turn its back on them for Iran nuclear deal" LA Times / June 22, 2015 In 2012, President Obama made it plain in a letter to Iranian supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei that any attempt to close the strategic Strait of Hormuz would be met with American force. ... View Source ›

Kambiz Foroohar and James G Neuger, "Iran, EU Exchange Criticism as Nuclear Deadline Nears" Bloomberg / June 22, 2015 Iranian and European officials accused each other of backing away from a nuclear agreement, as they met in Luxembourg ahead of next week’s deadline.... View Source ›

June 22, 2015

Ali Akbar Dareini, "Iran lawmakers ban nuclear inspectors from military sites" Associated Press / June 21, 2015 With some lawmakers chanting “Death to the America,” Iran’s parliament voted to ban access to military sites, documents and scientists as part of a future deal with world powers over its contested nuclear program.... View Source ›

Golnar Motevalli, "Nuclear Talks May Run Beyond June 30 Deadline, Iran Envoys Say" Bloomberg / June 22, 2015 Iranian officials gave their strongest hints yet that talks over the Islamic Republic’s nuclear program may stretch beyond a self-imposed June 30 deadline.... View Source ›

John Irish, "France's Fabius to meet Iran's Zarif on nuclear talks" Reuters / June 20, 2015 France's Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius said on Saturday he would meet his Iranian counterpart Mohammad Javad Zarif on Monday to assess where Iran stands ahead of the final round of talks on its nuclear program, beginning later that week.... View Source ›

Matthew Lee and Bradley Klapper, "US report finds Iran threat undiminished as nuke deal nears" Associated Press / June 19, 2015 Iran’s support for international terrorist groups remained undiminished last year and even expanded in some respects, the Obama administration said Friday, less than two weeks before the deadline for completing a nuclear deal that could provide Tehran with billions of dollars in relief from economic sanctions.... View Source ›

"Japan eases fuel rules for India nuclear deal" Japan Times / June 19, 2015 Japan has given in to India’s demand that it be allowed to reprocess spent nuclear fuel from Japanese-made reactors, negotiation sources said, marking a major shift in Japan’s stance against proliferation.... View Source ›

June 19, 2015

Louis Charbonneau, Parisa Hafezi, and John Irish, "Despite obstacles, chances grow for final Iran nuclear deal" Reuters / June 19, 2015 Iran is trying to avoid detailed commitments. The French are sticking to their tough line. And U.S. President Barack Obama faces a battle to sell any deal to a skeptical Congress.... View Source ›

Bill Spindle, "Iran Holds Out Improved Oil-Contract Term" Wall Street Journal / June 18, 2015 Iran is prepared to offer longer-term and more-profitable contracts to international oil and gas firms but expects substantive partnerships with Iranian companies, said oil-ministry officials, signaling how the cloistered country will try to entice billions of dollars in energy investments after any nuclear deal.... View Source ›

Yaroslav Trofimov, "Saudi Arabia Reluctantly Finds Common Ground With Israel About Iran" WSJ / June 19, 2015 After launching into a tirade about the malicious designs of their perfidious foe, three Saudi academics and analysts on separate recent occasions began by pronouncing “Israel”—and then, catching their error of habit mid-word, corrected themselves to say “Iran.”... View Source ›

Reem Shamseddine, "Saudi Arabia, Russia sign nuclear power cooperation deal" Reuters / June 19, 2015 Saudi Arabia and Russia have signed an agreement to cooperate on nuclear energy development, a Saudi government body in charge of such projects said.... View Source ›

June 19, 2015

Louis Charbonneau, Parisa Hafezi, and John Irish, "Despite obstacles, chances grow for final Iran nuclear deal" Reuters / June 19, 2015 Iran is trying to avoid detailed commitments. The French are sticking to their tough line. And U.S. President Barack Obama faces a battle to sell any deal to a skeptical Congress.... View Source ›

Bill Spindle, "Iran Holds Out Improved Oil-Contract Term" Wall Street Journal / June 18, 2015 Iran is prepared to offer longer-term and more-profitable contracts to international oil and gas firms but expects substantive partnerships with Iranian companies, said oil-ministry officials, signaling how the cloistered country will try to entice billions of dollars in energy investments after any nuclear deal.... View Source ›

Yaroslav Trofimov, "Saudi Arabia Reluctantly Finds Common Ground With Israel About Iran" WSJ / June 19, 2015 After launching into a tirade about the malicious designs of their perfidious foe, three Saudi academics and analysts on separate recent occasions began by pronouncing “Israel”—and then, catching their error of habit mid-word, corrected themselves to say “Iran.”... View Source ›

Reem Shamseddine, "Saudi Arabia, Russia sign nuclear power cooperation deal" Reuters / June 19, 2015 Saudi Arabia and Russia have signed an agreement to cooperate on nuclear energy development, a Saudi government body in charge of such projects said.... View Source ›

June 18, 2015

Indira Lakshmanan and David Lerman, "Key Senator Says Obama Shouldn’t Rush to Meet Iran Deal Deadline" Bloomberg Business / June 17, 2015 The chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee said the Obama administration should take as much time as it needs to get the best deal to curb Iran’s nuclear program, rather than rushing to meet the June 30 deadline.... View Source ›

"Austria tightens security at Iran talks venue" Press TV / June 17, 2015 Austria has undertaken special and extensive preemptive measures to secure the venue of nuclear talks between Iran and the P5+1 group of world countries in the face of recent reports of espionage.... View Source ›

Carol J. Williams, "Kremlin officials say Russian nuclear buildup is forced by West" LA Times / June 17, 2015 Russia's addition of 40 long-range missiles to its nuclear arsenal this year doesn't signal a new arms race or a threat to any country, Kremlin officials insisted Wednesday.... View Source ›

Nahal Toosi, "U.S. may name 'czar' for Iran nuclear deal" Politico / June 18, 2015 The Obama administration is considering appointing a “czar”-like official to oversee the enforcement of a nuclear deal with Iran, one of several options it is weighing to ensure the still-unfinished accord doesn’t unravel, according to sources familiar with the discussions.... View Source ›

Aaron Sheldrick, "Japan faces dilemma over plutonium stored in France" Reuters / June 18, 2015 Still dealing with the huge clean up after the Fukushima crisis and debating its future use of atomic energy, Japan now faces another nuclear conundrum - what to do with 16 tonnes of its plutonium sitting in France after being reprocessed there.... View Source ›