The Partnership for a Secure America, a bipartisan group of government and foreign policy veterans, will start airing a television commercial in major cities to raise awareness about the threat of nuclear terrorism (see NTI report).
Programmes
Des Browne’s speech
UK Secretary of Defence Des Browne addressed the Conference of Disarmament on February 5, announcing the call to fellow nuclear weapon states to send technical experts to a conference in London to discuss how they might cooperate to develop verification methods for future disarmament agreements.
In a particularly interesting paragraph he said:
Success with Iran requires moves towards disarmament
I have recently reflected that my youthful passion for disarmament originated from a black and white sense of justice, and that I have retained it through the insight that acts of logical self-interest often lead to immense risk and could ultimately lead to the destruction of civilisation. While climate change and other environmental threats arise from our corporate materialistic lifestyles, the threat of nuclear proliferation and Armageddon comes from fear, competition and the quest for power amongst elites. The injustice feels more carnal, the universal threat more outrageous.
Iran update: number 113
Summary
- P5+1 agree new wave of sanctions on Iran
- Iran predicts it will be using nuclear power by next year
- A Chinese military base in Iran: the geo-political consequences
- US Iranians oppose military action
- Congress discusses normalizing relations with Iran and assessing the effectiveness of sanctions and the policy of isolation
After meeting on January 22, the P5+1 were reported to have agreed a draft for strengthening the existing economic sanctions against Iran.
Iran update: number 112
Summary
- P5+1 met on January 22 to discuss Iran but disagreement within the group set to hinder progress.
- US diplomacy against Iran
- Iran making new disclosures about nuclear programme to IAEA.
- Iran receives third shipment of nuclear fuel from Russia and plans to significantly expand nuclear programme.
Iran update: number 111
Summary
- US heat turned down on Iran, in spite of the President
- Outstanding IAEA questions to Iran
- US statement: Iran no longer assisting Iraqi insurgents
- Pentagon says US ships harassed by Iran
- Congress passes Iran democracy bill
- Iran's changing regional relationships
- Russia begins delivery of nuclear fuel to Bushehr
- Iran produces first nuclear fuel pellets
The New Year marked a dramatic turn-around in the mood music towards Iran in Washington, and attention focused almost entirely upon Pa
Updated NIE implies constructive pragmatism
The eight-year Iran–Iraq war and Iraq's invasion of Kuwait were often reported as the reason Iran considered nuclear weapons. With Iraq neutralized, Iran may have felt secure enough to cease weapons-related work.