July 31, 2015

"Russia to upgrade air defense missiles intended for Iran" Associated Press / July 30, 2015 A Kremlin official says that Russia is working to upgrade air defense missiles intended for Iran.... View Source ›

"Iran says will ban US experts from UN nuclear inspections" Associated Press / July 30, 2015 Iran will not allow American or Canadian inspectors working for the U.N. nuclear watchdog to visit its nuclear facilities, an official said in remarks broadcast by state TV on Thursday.... View Source ›

David Lerman, "‘Secret Side Deals’ on Iran Accord Are New Republican Target" Washington Post/Bloomberg / July 30, 2015 Confidential agreements between Iran and the International Atomic Energy Agency, which will inspect Iran’s nuclear facilities, emerged as a key point of contention with Republicans at a hearing Wednesday of the Senate Armed Services Committee.... View Source ›

Steve Inskeep, "Ex-Mossad Chief Supports Iran Nuclear Deal" NPR / July 31, 2015 Israel is among the critics of the Iran nuclear agreement. Steve Inskeep talks to Efraim Halevy, ex-head of Israel's national intelligence agency, who sees the deal as a step in the right direction.... View Source ›

Idress Ali, "U.S. political fight over Iran nuclear deal goes Hollywood" Reuters / July 31, 2015 The U.S. political battle over the Iran nuclear agreement has gone Hollywood, thanks to a new video strongly backing the deal featuring boldface names from Jack Black and Morgan Freeman to former spy Valerie Plame and Jordan's Queen Noor.... View Source ›

Kentaro Hamada and Osamu Tsukimori, "Tokyo Electric executives to be charged over Fukushima nuclear disaster" Reuters / July 31, 2015 A Japanese civilian judiciary panel on Friday forced prosecutors to indict three former Tokyo Electric Power (9501.T) (Tepco) executives for failing to take measures to prevent the 2011 Fukushima nuclear disaster.... View Source ›

July 30, 2015

Deb Riechmann, "Defense Secretary Carter: Successful Iran nuclear deal preferable to military strike" Associated Press / July 30, 2015 Defense Secretary Ash Carter said Wednesday that the U.S. armed forces stand ready to confront Iran, but told lawmakers that a successful implementation of the nuclear agreement with Tehran is preferable to a military strike.... View Source ›

Helene Cooper and Gardiner Harris, "Top General Gives ‘Pragmatic’ View of Iran Nuclear Deal" New York Times / July 29, 2015 While the nuclear agreement with Iran will not stop it from funding organizations the United States considers to be terrorist groups, the pact reduces the chances of a near-term military conflict between the two countries, the top American military leader, Gen. Martin E. Dempsey, told Congress on Wednesday.... View Source ›

David Lerman, "‘Secret Side Deals’ on Iran Accord Are New Target of Republicans" Bloomberg / July 30, 2015 Republican lawmakers have opened a new avenue of attack on the Iran nuclear accord by criticizing what they call “secret side deals” governing the inspection process that will be withheld from Congress.... View Source ›

Eric Talmadge, "For North Korea, Iran-Style Nuclear Deal Not an Option" Associated Press / July 30, 2015 If any hopes have been raised that the progress between the United States and Iran to halt Tehran's development of nuclear weapons could bring change in Pyongyang, North Korea has gone out of its way to thwart them.... View Source ›

Kumiko Mita and Shoko Oda, "Japan Quake Insurance on the Rise as Fukushima Shakes Confidence" Bloomberg / July 30, 2015 Japan’s insurance companies are pushing for an average 19 percent increase in earthquake premiums as they reassess risk following the unprecedented magnitude 9 quake four years ago.... View Source ›

July 29, 2015

Armin Rosen, "A critical unknown is emerging in the Iran deal" Business Insider / July 28, 2015 One of the big unanswered questions regarding the historic nuclear deal between a US-led group of countries and Iran had to do with the status of a side agreement reached between the International Atomic Energy Agency and Tehran.... View Source ›

Jennifer Steinhauer, "Iran Nuclear Deal Gets Support of House Israel Backer, Sander Levin" New York Times / July 28, 2015 Representative Sander M. Levin, Democrat of Michigan and the longest-serving Jewish member now in Congress, said Tuesday that he would support the Iran nuclear accord, lending a hefty voice of approval in a chamber deeply skeptical of the deal.... View Source ›

"Senior US Officials Continue Testimony on Iran Nuclear Deal" Voice of America / July 29, 2015 Another set of U.S. lawmakers get their chance to question and hear testimony from senior officials Wednesday as they continue to evaluate the international nuclear agreement with Iran.... View Source ›

David Jackson, "Obama's day: Selling the Iran nuclear deal" USA Today / July 29, 2015 Back in Washington after a week in Africa, President Obama resumes selling the Iran nuclear agreement on Wednesday.... View Source ›

Dan Roberts, "John Kerry warns Congress: back Iran nuclear deal or face dire consequences" The Guardian / July 28, 2015 The United States risks a collapse in its future negotiating credibility if it walks away from the Iranian nuclear deal, according to US secretary of state John Kerry, who argues Congress now has little choice but to back the plan.... View Source ›

July 28, 2015

George Jahn, "Officials: Iran may take own samples at alleged nuclear site" Associated Press / July 28, 2015 Officials say Iran wants its own officials to take soil samples at a site where it is alleged to have worked on a nuclear weapon, and the U.N. agency probing the suspicions may agree provided it is allowed to monitor the process.... View Source ›

Deb Riechman, "Cabinet secretaries on Capitol Hill again to sell Iran deal" Associated Press / July 28, 2015 The Obama administration's vigorous effort to sell the Iran nuclear deal to Congress continues — this time in the House where three Cabinet secretaries will face tough questioning on Tuesday from skeptical Democrats and Republicans.... View Source ›

Deb Riechmann, "Former Ambassadors to Israel Back Iran Nuclear Deal" Associated Press / July 27, 2015 Seven former U.S. diplomats and State Department officials sent a letter Monday to leaders in Congress urging them to support the nuclear deal with Iran.... View Source ›

Carol E. Lee and Reid J. Epstein, "Obama Blasts GOP Critics of Iran Nuclear Deal" Wall Street Journal / July 28, 2015 President Barack Obama excoriated Republican critics of the nuclear agreement with Iran, particularly GOP presidential candidate... View Source ›

Bethany Bell, "How will Iran's nuclear deal be policed?" BBC / July 28, 2015 If Iran keeps or breaches promises it made when it signed a deal over its nuclear programme, it will be up to one group to confirm the news to the world.... View Source ›

James Pearson and Jack Kim, "U.S. would show flexibility in nuclear talks with North Korea: envoy" Reuters / July 27, 2015 The recent nuclear deal with Iran showed that the United States can be flexible with a willing counterpart, including North Korea if it decides it wants talks on its nuclear program, a U.S. envoy said on Monday.... View Source ›

Arata Yamamoto, "Fukushima Nuke Plant Operators Begin Key Stage of Decommissioning" NBC / July 28, 2015 A crucial stage in the decades-long job of decommissioning Japan's crippled Fukushima nuclear plant began Tuesday, with operators starting to dismantle huge protective covers from one of the reactors.... View Source ›

July 24, 2015

Jonathan Weisman and Michael R. Gordon, "Kerry Defends Iran Nuclear Deal Before Skeptical Senate" New York Times / July 23, 2015 After four and a half hours of contentious questioning, three cabinet secretaries deployed Thursday by President Obama to the Senate to defend his nuclear deal with Iran appeared to keep Democrats largely lined up as a bulwark against Republican opposition.... View Source ›

"The Latest: Kerry says US allies won’t back military force" Associated Press / July 23, 2015 The latest in a hearing the Senate Foreign Relations Committee is conducting on the agreement the United States and five other world powers struck this month with Iran to rein in its nuclear weapons program in exchange for relief from economic sanctions... View Source ›

Bozorgmehr Sharafedin, "Rouhani assures critics nuclear deal is good for Iran" Reuters / July 23, 2015 President Hassan Rouhani defended Iran's nuclear deal with world powers after it came under attack from conservatives at home, arguing on Thursday it reflected the nation's will and was "more valuable" than carping over the details.... View Source ›

"Saudi FM: Iran deal may stop Tehran from getting nuke weapon" Associated Press / July 23, 2015 Saudi Arabia's foreign minister said Thursday the Iran nuclear deal appears to have the provisions needed to curtail Iran's ability to obtain a nuclear weapon in what were the most favorable remarks yet from the kingdom on the recent agreement.... View Source ›

"European business reps congregate on Iran business forum" Associated Press / July 23, 2015 Oil, gas, banks and more, worth tens of billions of dollars to the highest bidder. Less than 10 days after signing its nuclear deal, Iran formally threw open its doors Thursday to European Union companies, eager to do business — and dozens of firms answered the call.... View Source ›

Oren Dorell, "Four key questions about the Iran deal" USA Today / July 23, 2015 Senators grilled three members of President Obama's Cabinet on Thursday about the international agreement to limit Iran's nuclear program in return for sanctions relief. Secretary of State John Kerry, Energy Secretary Ernest Moniz and Treasury Secretary Jack Lew testified before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. Here are four key questions raised about the agreement, the answers given and the facts.... View Source ›

Jay Solomon and Felicia Schwartz, "Senators Voice Skepticism on Iran Nuclear Deal" Wall Street Journal / July 24, 2015 Lawmakers sharply clashed with Obama administration officials Thursday over the landmark nuclear agreement with Iran in a hearing that marked the start of and set the tone for two months of heated political debate.... View Source ›

July 23, 2015

Michael R. Gordon, "Verification Process in Iran Deal Is Questioned by Some Experts" New York Times / July 22, 2015 The Obama administration’s claim that the Iran nuclear accord provides for airtight verification procedures is coming under challenge from nuclear experts with long experience in monitoring Tehran’s program.... View Source ›

Robert Burns, "Carter: Saudis welcoming Iran deal with reservations" Associated Press / July 22, 2015 Saudi Arabia's King Salman and his defense minister support the Iran nuclear deal but have doubts about how effectively the historic agreement will be enforced, U.S. Defense Secretary Ash Carter said Wednesday.... View Source ›

Karoun Demirjian, "‘Secret deals’ become latest congressional complaint about Iran deal" Washington Post / July 23, 2015 A rising chorus of criticism emerged from the closed-door Iran briefings at the Capitol on Wednesday, as lawmakers skeptical of the nuclear agreement demanded a reckoning from administration officials about so-called “secret deals” between Tehran and the agency tasked with inspecting nuclear facilities.... View Source ›

Roy Gutman, "Iran also in for a contentious debate on the nuclear accord" McClatchy / July 22, 2015 As the U.S. Congress kicks off a contentious debate over the Iran nuclear accord, hardliners in the Iranian political system are gearing up for a battle of their own, targeting a key verification provision that they hope to defeat in an open parliamentary vote. Read more here: http://www.mcclatchydc.com/news/nation-world/world/article28354942.html?utm_source=AM+Nukes+Roundup&utm_campaign=4582c06be8-AM_Nukes_Roundup&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_547ee518ec-4582c06be8-391762253#storylink=cpy... View Source ›

Verena Dobnik, "Iran deal with US brings thousands to Times Square protest" Associated Press / July 23, 2015 Thousands of protesters packed into Times Square Wednesday evening to demand that Congress vote down the proposed U.S. deal with Iran.... View Source ›

Eleanor Beardsley, "After Nuclear Deal, European Businesses Flock To Iran" NPR / July 23, 2015 Iran's market of 80 million, well-educated consumers is not open yet, but French and other European business delegations are already flocking to the country. They will be the first in and have a head start, but analysts say American business could be the big winner in the end.... View Source ›

July 22, 2015

Nahal Toosi, "John Kerry picks overseer for Iran deal" Politico / July 21, 2015 Career diplomat Joseph Macmanus will coordinate implementation of the agreement on an interim basis.... View Source ›

Julia Edwards, "Obama pitches Iran deal to vets, Daily Show's Stewart" Reuters / July 22, 2015 President Barack Obama's campaign to convince Congress to support the Iran nuclear deal led him on Tuesday to a veterans' convention and The Daily Show, where he took jabs at those opposing the agreement.... View Source ›

Thomas Erdbrink, "Iran Lawmakers to Wait 80 Days Before Voting on Nuclear Deal" New York Times / July 21, 2015 The Iranian Parliament will wait at least 80 days before voting on a nuclear agreement reached last week with world powers, as legislators decided on Tuesday to form a committee to study the accord, state radio reported.... View Source ›

David Lauter, "Do Americans support the Iran deal? A lot depends on how they're asked" LA Times / July 21, 2015 Americans support the nuclear agreement with Iran by 56% to 37%. No, they disapprove of the deal, 48% to 38%.The conflicting findings come from respected polling operations with long track records of accurately tracking public opinion. A Washington Post/ABC News survey released Monday found Americans supporting the deal; a poll from the nonpartisan Pew Research Center released Tuesday found disapproval.... View Source ›

Suzanne Barlyn, "Iran deal offers faint hope for Iranian-American banking woes" Reuters / July 22, 2015 The Iran nuclear pact could eventually help thousands of Iranian-Americans who have struggled with red tape, shuttered accounts, and even criminal prosecution to conduct bank transactions, although relief seems unlikely anytime soon.... View Source ›

Oren Dorell, "Big money and ads clash over Iran nuclear deal" USA Today / July 22, 2015 As the Senate opens a two-month congressional review of the nuclear agreement with Iran on Thursday, opponents of the deal are spending tens of millions of dollars to rally the American public and U.S. lawmakers against it.... View Source ›

Scott Bobb, "US Defense Chief Meets With Saudi King on Iran Nuclear Deal" Voice of America / July 22, 2015 U.S. Defense Secretary Ash Carter met with Saudi Arabia's King Salman Wednesday, as part of a regional tour aimed at convincing skeptical allies about the benefits of the Iran nuclear deal.... View Source ›

July 21, 2015

Deb Riechmann, "60 Senior US National Security Leaders Support Iran Deal" Associated Press / July 20, 2015 Sixty national security leaders, ambassadors, military leaders and former Cabinet secretaries signed a letter released on Monday in support of the nuclear deal with Iran.... View Source ›

"UN resolution 'clear message' Iran deal is path forward: Obama" AFP / July 20, 2015 US President Barack Obama on Monday hailed the passage of a UN Security Council resolution backing his nuclear deal with Iran, saying he expected a skeptical Congress to take note.... View Source ›

Sam Sanders, "U.S. Will Lose 'All Credibility' If Congress Rejects Nuclear Deal, Kerry Says" NPR / July 21, 2015 Just after hosting Cuba's foreign minister at the State Department, Secretary of State John Kerry sat down with NPR Morning Edition host Steve Inskeep to discuss the restoration of diplomatic relations with that country, as well as the status of a nuclear deal with Iran.... View Source ›

Scott Clement, "56 percent of people support Obama’s Iran deal. But they don’t think it will work." Washington Post / July 20, 2015 A majority of Americans support the Iran deal despite widespread doubts it will stop the country from developing nuclear weapons, according to new Washington Post-ABC News poll.... View Source ›

Gernot Heller, "RPT-Germany, Iran pledge to revive economic ties after long freeze " Reuters / July 20, 2015 Germany and Iran moved tentatively on Monday towards reviving a once close trade relationship, anticipating the lifting of western economic sanctions against Tehran following a landmark nuclear deal.... View Source ›

Michelle Nichols and Bozorgmehr Nouri, "U.N. Council backs Iran nuclear deal but Tehran hardliners object" Reuters / July 20, 2015 The U.N. Security Council on Monday backed Iran's nuclear agreement with world powers but the Islamic Republic's Revolutionary Guards attacked the resolution, underlining powerful opposition to the deal.... View Source ›

"N. Korea: No interest in something like Iranian nuclear deal" Associated Press / July 21, 2015 North Korea said Tuesday that it’s not interested in an Iran-type nuclear disarmament deal, saying it won’t abandon its atomic weapons as long as the United States maintains hostile policies toward the country.... View Source ›

July 20, 2015

"UN endorses Iran nuclear deal with 6 world powers" Associated Press / July 20, 2015 The U.N. Security Council has unanimously endorsed the landmark nuclear deal between Iran and six world powers.... View Source ›

Thomas Erdbrink, "Ayatollah Khamenei, Backing Iran Negotiators, Endorses Nuclear Deal" New York Times / July 18, 2015 Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the supreme leader of Iran, voiced support on Saturday for his country’s nuclear deal with world powers while emphasizing that it did not signal an end to Iran’s hostility toward the United States and its allies, especially Israel.... View Source ›

Deb Riechmann, "Pressure for Congress on Iran deal as heated lobbying begins" Washington Post / July 20, 2015 Israel’s ambassador to the United States raced in and out of offices on Capitol Hill, trying to persuade lawmakers that the nuclear deal with Iran is a historic mistake.... View Source ›

Carol Morello, "No alternative to Iran nuclear deal, Kerry says on Sunday talk shows" Washington Post / July 20, 2015 Secretary of State John F. Kerry and Energy Secretary Ernest Moniz, in a round of interviews that aired Sunday, defended the deal they negotiated with Iran, saying that it leaves the Middle East safer and that there is no viable alternative.... View Source ›

Missy Ryan, "Post nuclear-deal, Carter says military option against Iran remains on table" Washington Post / July 20, 2015 Defense Secretary Ashton B. Carter began a tour Sunday of Middle Eastern nations whose alliances with the United States have been strained by President Obama’s nuclear agreement with Iran.... View Source ›

Michele Kelemen, "Nuke Inspectors Gear Up For Iran, But Americans Unlikely To Be Included" NPR / July 18, 2015 The International Atomic Energy Agency has the big job of making sure Iran complies with the landmark nuclear deal reached this week in Vienna.... View Source ›

July 17, 2015

Michelle Nichols, "U.N. Security Council to vote Monday on endorsing Iran deal -U.S. diplomat" Reuters / July 17, 2015 The United Nations Security Council is due to vote on Monday on a resolution that would endorse a deal placing long-term curbs on Iran's nuclear program but would retain an arms embargo and ban on the supply of ballistic missile technology, said a U.S. diplomat.... View Source ›

Justin Sink and Kathleen Miller, "Obama Plans Meeting About Iran Agreement With Saudi Diplomat" Bloomberg / July 17, 2015 President Obama and Saudi Foreign Minister Adel Al-Jubeir will meet Friday in Washington to discuss the issue, according to a White House official who asked for anonymity to discuss a meeting that hasn’t been publicly announced.... View Source ›

Thomas Erdbrink, "Iranian Hard-Liners Say Nuclear Accord Crosses Their Red Lines" New York Times / July 16, 2015 When Iran’s supreme leader sent a note to the country’s president, thanking him for bringing the nuclear negotiations with the United States and other world powers to a conclusion, he added an important caveat. The comprehensive plan needs “close scrutiny,” the supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, wrote, adding: “Be concerned about possible violations of the commitments in the accord by other parties.”... View Source ›

Lisa Mascaro, "Senate disapproval of Iran nuclear deal appears less certain" LA Times / July 16, 2015 Days after President Obama announced a milestone nuclear agreement with Iran, the administration seems to be winning Round One against Republican congressional opponents.... View Source ›

Julie Hirschfeld Davis, "Former U.S. Diplomats Praise Iran Deal" New York Times / July 16, 2015 More than 100 former American ambassadors wrote to President Obama on Thursday praising the nuclear deal reached with Iran this week as a “landmark agreement” that could be effective in halting Tehran’s development of a nuclear weapon, and urging Congress to support it.... View Source ›

Somini Sengupta, "‘Snapback’ Is an Easy Way to Reimpose Iran Penalties" New York Times / July 16, 2015 The world powers have promised to keep an eye on Iran’s nuclear ambitions and renew United Nations sanctions, if deemed necessary, for an additional five years after the initial 10-year agreement comes to a close.... View Source ›