CND's Press Round-Up - 2nd August 2021
Posted: 2nd August 2021
Nuclear Weapons
The new Iranian administration takes office this week as the UK and Israel accuse Iran of being behind a deadly maritime attack in the Gulf of Oman.
Iranian Politics and Diplomacy
Iran’s new president, Ebrahim Raisi, will be formally sworn in on Thursday. Al Jazeera carries a piece examining what the new administration might mean for Iranian foreign policy, as well as the fate of the JCPoA negotiations in Vienna. One factor militating towards a pro-renewed nuclear agreement from the government might be the promise of sanctions relief; Iran’s economy continues to struggle under the dual burdens of the pandemic and U.S-imposed sanctions. Inflation is likely to reach 40% in the country this year, with staple foods particularly badly affected. Tax revenues remain strongly dependent on oil exports, which have been restricted by sanctions. Some economists have said that, while JCPoA-sanctions relief would be welcome, lingering uncertainty caused by Trump’s unilateral withdrawal could make Western companies reluctant to invest.
Alleged Iranian Sabotage Attack
The Guardian reports that the Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab alleged Iran is responsible for a drone attack on an oil tanker off the coast of Oman on Thursday night. The attack killed one British citizen and one other person. Israel has also accused Iran of being behind the attack. Labour also struck a belligerent note, with Shadow Foreign Secretary Lisa Nandy saying that ‘The breakdown of a clear strategy to deal with Iran has not served the UK or our allies well in recent years. The foreign secretary must now make it a priority to pursue coordinated international efforts to tackle these actions by the Iranian government’.
Anti-war
The U.S. concludes a multi-billion dollar arms deal with Israel whilst fighting in Afghanistan continues.
Arms Trade with Israel
The Morning Star reports on a new arms deal between Israel and the U.S-owned company, Lockheed Martin, for eighteen helicopters. The deal, which is estimated to be worth $3.4 billion, has drawn the condemnation of the Palestinian Authority. The announcement of the deal, which was formally welcomed by the U.S. State Department, came as the liberal NGO Human Rights Watch said it appeared Israel had committed war crimes during May’s assault on Gaza.
War in Afghanistan
The Washington Post reports on the implications of the Taliban’s continued military advance across Afghanistan. The Afghan national government holds around 5,000 captured Taliban fighters in a number of prisons close to the front lines. Both the Taliban and the government see the fate of these prisoners as strategically key, since they include some of the most highly trained and politically adept Taliban cadres.
Nuclear Power
The U.S. nuclear industry could be in line for a congressional bailout whilst South Korea debates its plan to abandon nuclear totally.
Nuclear Power – USA
Nuclear power plants in the USA may be poised for a substantial financial bailout as part of Joe Biden’s infrastructure package, according to Mining Weekly. Nuclear power provides around 19% of the U.S’s electricity but has come under intense pressure from renewables recently, leading to a wave of (proposed) reactor closures. Around $6 billion would be made available under the scheme, which would favour those plants which use uranium mined and enriched in the U.S.
Nuclear Power – South Korea
South Korea’s policy of phasing out its civil nuclear programme is under strain, after the government ordered three nuclear reactors to re-start to meet electricity shortages, according to the Korean Times. South Korea took the decision in 2017 to phase out its 24 operating nuclear reactors but the implementation of this has remained politically contentious. Critics have argued that nuclear is vital for the country’s energy security, since it is heavily dependent on energy imports. Ironically enough, several large South Korean corporations are deeply involved in producing the components and technology for nuclear power plants around the world.
With best wishes,
Michael Muir
Press and Communications Officer
Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament
The new Iranian administration takes office this week as the UK and Israel accuse Iran of being behind a deadly maritime attack in the Gulf of Oman.
Iranian Politics and Diplomacy
Iran’s new president, Ebrahim Raisi, will be formally sworn in on Thursday. Al Jazeera carries a piece examining what the new administration might mean for Iranian foreign policy, as well as the fate of the JCPoA negotiations in Vienna. One factor militating towards a pro-renewed nuclear agreement from the government might be the promise of sanctions relief; Iran’s economy continues to struggle under the dual burdens of the pandemic and U.S-imposed sanctions. Inflation is likely to reach 40% in the country this year, with staple foods particularly badly affected. Tax revenues remain strongly dependent on oil exports, which have been restricted by sanctions. Some economists have said that, while JCPoA-sanctions relief would be welcome, lingering uncertainty caused by Trump’s unilateral withdrawal could make Western companies reluctant to invest.
Alleged Iranian Sabotage Attack
The Guardian reports that the Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab alleged Iran is responsible for a drone attack on an oil tanker off the coast of Oman on Thursday night. The attack killed one British citizen and one other person. Israel has also accused Iran of being behind the attack. Labour also struck a belligerent note, with Shadow Foreign Secretary Lisa Nandy saying that ‘The breakdown of a clear strategy to deal with Iran has not served the UK or our allies well in recent years. The foreign secretary must now make it a priority to pursue coordinated international efforts to tackle these actions by the Iranian government’.
Anti-war
The U.S. concludes a multi-billion dollar arms deal with Israel whilst fighting in Afghanistan continues.
Arms Trade with Israel
The Morning Star reports on a new arms deal between Israel and the U.S-owned company, Lockheed Martin, for eighteen helicopters. The deal, which is estimated to be worth $3.4 billion, has drawn the condemnation of the Palestinian Authority. The announcement of the deal, which was formally welcomed by the U.S. State Department, came as the liberal NGO Human Rights Watch said it appeared Israel had committed war crimes during May’s assault on Gaza.
War in Afghanistan
The Washington Post reports on the implications of the Taliban’s continued military advance across Afghanistan. The Afghan national government holds around 5,000 captured Taliban fighters in a number of prisons close to the front lines. Both the Taliban and the government see the fate of these prisoners as strategically key, since they include some of the most highly trained and politically adept Taliban cadres.
Nuclear Power
The U.S. nuclear industry could be in line for a congressional bailout whilst South Korea debates its plan to abandon nuclear totally.
Nuclear Power – USA
Nuclear power plants in the USA may be poised for a substantial financial bailout as part of Joe Biden’s infrastructure package, according to Mining Weekly. Nuclear power provides around 19% of the U.S’s electricity but has come under intense pressure from renewables recently, leading to a wave of (proposed) reactor closures. Around $6 billion would be made available under the scheme, which would favour those plants which use uranium mined and enriched in the U.S.
Nuclear Power – South Korea
South Korea’s policy of phasing out its civil nuclear programme is under strain, after the government ordered three nuclear reactors to re-start to meet electricity shortages, according to the Korean Times. South Korea took the decision in 2017 to phase out its 24 operating nuclear reactors but the implementation of this has remained politically contentious. Critics have argued that nuclear is vital for the country’s energy security, since it is heavily dependent on energy imports. Ironically enough, several large South Korean corporations are deeply involved in producing the components and technology for nuclear power plants around the world.
With best wishes,
Michael Muir
Press and Communications Officer
Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament