Iran
Iran, U.N. reach tentative deal on Tehran’s nuclear program before key talks
Joby Warrick, Washington Post – May 22, 2012
Iran has agreed in principle to pull back the curtain on some of its most secretive nuclear research, U.N. officials said Tuesday, a concession that came hours before negotiators from the Islamic republic were due to begin crucial talks with six world powers on curbing its nuclear program.
Global Powers and Iran Meet in Baghdad
Steven Erlanger and Alan Cowell, New York Times – May 23, 2012
Six global powers including the United State resumed negotiations with Iran here on Wednesday a day after Tehran signaled willingness to allow potentially intrusive international inspections of secret military facilities, raising expectations that it was searching for a diplomatic solution to the standoff over its nuclear program.
Ros-Lehtinen says House will push for tougher Iran sanctions bill with Senate
Pete Kasperowicz, The Hill – May 22, 2012
House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairwoman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-Fla.) said Tuesday that the House would push for tougher Iran sanctions language than what the Senate approved on Monday.
Op-Ed: The least bad option on Iran
Chuck Freilich, Los Angeles Times – May 23, 2012
An interim nuclear deal could buy time, which is the essential point. It is a bad outcome — but it is the least bad of the available options.
Russia
Russia test-fires missile amid tensions over NATO defense shield announcement
CNN – May 23, 2012
Russia test-fired a ballistic missile Wednesday, a move that comes amid tensions about a recent NATO announcement that it placed an interim missile defense shield in Europe.”The new intercontinental ballistic missile is intended to strengthen the capabilities of Russia’s Strategic Missile Forces, including its capabilities for overcoming anti-missile defenses,” Defense Ministry spokesman Vadim Koval told RIA Novosti.
UK
UK steps closer to renewing nuclear firepower
Mohammed Abbas and Rhys Jones, Reuters – May 22, 2012
Britain moved a step closer to renewing its Trident nuclear weapons system on Tuesday, awarding 350 million pounds worth of contracts to design a new generation of submarines that critics say are the result of outdated, Cold War thinking.
