CND's Press Round-Up - 21st April 2021

Posted: 21st April 2021

Dear all,

Please find today’s press round up below. Thank you to all for their continued help and support.

Nuclear Weapons

Iran Nuclear Deal Talks
 
It appears that limited progress continues to be made at the talks on the Iran nuclear deal in Vienna, with The Washington Post reporting that the U.S. Special Envoy Robert Malley will be going to Washington D.C. for consultations before returning for the resumption of talks next week. Some sources are quoted as thinking that Iran and the U.S. might be ‘moving towards simultaneous, sequential steps’. The U.S. National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan said that ‘compliance for compliance’ was emerging as the theme of the talks.
 
Meanwhile, Iranian media reports that Iran will not agree to any concessions, whether on missiles or on regional affairs, beyond the 2015 remit of the JCPoA.The Iranian government spokesperson also said the country wants to see an all-in-one return to the JCPoA, rather than a prolonged step by step process.
 
UK Warhead Increase
 
This month’s magazine of the Arms Control Association features an in-depth analysis of the UK’s decision to increase its number of nuclear warheads by more than 40%. Editor Daryl G. Kimball writes that ‘The new UK policy direction not only violates its NPT disarmament obligations, but it is completely out of step with U.S. President Joe Biden’s pledge to “take steps to reduce the role of nuclear weapons” in U.S. national security strategy.’ In addition to this, Kimball notes the very real difficulties the change in policy will pose at the NPT review conference in New York in August.

Anti-war

Saudi Arabia-Iran Relations
 
Secret talks have been held in Baghdad under Iraqi supervision between Iranian and Saudi representatives, according to The Independent. The talks apparently focused on the issue of Yemen, where a Saudi-led coalition invaded in 2015, but has been unable to defeat the Houthi rebel movement. The situation in Yemen is one of the worst humanitarian disasters in the world at present. Whilst Saudi media has denied the talks, Iranian state media has reported their existence.
 
U.S. Arms Sales to Taiwan
 
The Biden administration is intending to approve the U.S’s first arms sale to Taiwan since Biden became president, according to Newsweek magazine. The U.S. Congress will be formally notified of the export of  the M109A6 ‘Paladin’ self-propelled artillery system shortly, with delivery to Taiwan expected in phases between 2023 and 2025. The Trump administration sanctioned eleven sales of arms to the country during his four year term.


Nuclear Power

Nuclear Power-Pakistan
 
A Chinese-produced nuclear reactor has passed its cold function test in Karachi, according to local media. The Pakistani Nuclear Regulatory Authority and the Pakistani Atomic Energy Commission certified the test on Wednesday, meaning the reactor will now enter the commissioning stage. Two reactors at the Karachi site are already on-line and producing energy for the grid.

With best wishes,

Michael Muir

Press and Communications Officer
Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament