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Having failed to revive a 2015 Iran nuclear deal, Washington hopes to restore some limits on Iran to keep it from getting a nuclear weapon that could threaten Israel and trigger a regional arms race. An Iranian official said: "Call it whatever you want, whether a temporary deal, an interim deal, or a mutual understanding - both sides want to prevent further escalation." U.S. Special Envoy for Iran Rob Malley has also met Iran's ambassador to the U.N. after months of Iran refusing direct contact. The Western official said the key U.S. objective was to keep the nuclear situation from worsening and to avoid a potential clash between Israel and Iran. U.S. House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Michael McCaul, a Republican, wrote to President Joe Biden on Thursday saying "any arrangement or understanding with Iran, even informal, requires submission to Congress".

Persons: Donald Trump, Matt Miller, Washington, Brett McGurk, Ali Bagheri Kani, Iran Rob Malley, miscalculate, Michael McCaul, Joe Biden, Parisa, John Irish, Arshad Mohammed, Ramu Ayub, Simon Lewis, Daphne Psaledakis, Don Durfee, William Mallard Organizations: U.S . Congress, State Department, U.S . National Security, International Atomic Energy Agency, U.S, . House Foreign, Republican, John, Thomson Locations: DUBAI, PARIS, United States, Iran, Russia, Washington, Israel, Tehran, U.S, de, Ukraine, Oman, Ali Bagheri Kani . U.S, IRAN, ISRAEL, Parisa Hafezi, Dubai, Paris, Saint Paul , Minnesota

☆ France warns Iran on drone deliveries to Russia
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-10 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

PARIS, June 10 (Reuters) - French President Emmanuel Macron warned Iranian counterpart Ebrahim Raisi on Saturday about the consequences of delivering drones to Russia, Macron's office said on Saturday. In a phone call, Macron urged Iran to "immediately cease" the support it is giving Russia in the war against Ukraine. Macron also expressed concerns about the trajectory of the Iranian nuclear programme, the statement said. Britain, France, Germany, the United States and Ukraine say the supply of Iranian-made drones to Russia violates a 2015 U.N. Security Council resolution enshrining the Iran nuclear deal. Reporting by Michel Rose, Writing by Dominique Vidalon, Editing by Andrew Cawthorne and Clelia OzielOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Emmanuel Macron, Ebrahim Raisi, Macron, Michel Rose, Dominique Vidalon, Andrew Cawthorne Organizations: Ukraine, Security, Thomson Locations: Russia, Iran, Britain, France, Germany, United States, Ukraine

White House/Handout via REUTERSWASHINGTON, June 9 (Reuters) - The White House said on Friday that Russia appeared to be deepening its defense cooperation with Iran and had received hundreds of one-way attack drones that it is using to strike Ukraine. "We are also concerned that Russia is working with Iran to produce Iranian UAVs from inside Russia." Moscow has denied its forces used Iranian drones in Ukraine. A White House official said Iran had transferred several hundred drones to Russia since August. The advisory highlighted key items sought by Iran for its development of drones, including electronics such as processors and controllers.

Persons: John Kirby, Kirby, Jeff Mason, Steve Holland, Michelle Nichols, Daphne Psaledakis, Heather Timmons, Chizu, Marguerita Choy Organizations: REUTERS, House, Vehicles, Russian, Ukraine, White, United Nations, Security, Iran’s, Thomson Locations: Russia, Russian, Iran, White, REUTERS WASHINGTON, Ukraine, U.S, Alabuga, Moscow, United, Britain, France, Germany

White House/Handout via REUTERSWASHINGTON, June 9 (Reuters) - The White House said on Friday that Russia appeared to be deepening its defense cooperation with Iran and had received hundreds of one-way attack drones that it is using to strike Ukraine. "We are also concerned that Russia is working with Iran to produce Iranian UAVs from inside Russia." Moscow has denied its forces used Iranian drones in Ukraine. "We will continue to impose sanctions on the actors involved in the transfer of Iranian military equipment to Russia for use in Ukraine," Kirby said. The advisory highlighted key items sought by Iran for its development of drones, including electronics such as processors and controllers.

Persons: John Kirby, Kirby, Jeff Mason, Steve Holland, Michelle Nichols, Daphne Psaledakis, Heather Timmons, Chizu, Marguerita Choy Organizations: REUTERS, House, Vehicles, Russian, Ukraine, United Nations, Security, Iran’s, Thomson Locations: Russia, Russian, Iran, White, REUTERS WASHINGTON, Ukraine, U.S, Alabuga, Moscow, United, Britain, France, Germany

"The Saudi cut lifted prices slightly, and then the chatter of the potential return of Iranian barrels saw a large drop. Oil prices had risen early in the week, buoyed by Saudi Arabia's pledge over the weekend to cut more output on top of the cuts agreed earlier with the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and its allies. However, a rise in U.S. fuel stocks and weak Chinese export data have weighed on the markets. Some analysts expect oil prices to rise if the U.S. Federal Reserve pauses hiking interest rates at its next meeting over June 13-14. The Fed's decision may also influence Saudi Arabia's next move, analysts said.

Persons: Brent, Giovanni Staunovo, Saudi Arabia's, Rob Haworth, Craig Erlam, Shariq Khan, Shadia Nasralla, Yuka Obayashi, Marguerita Choy, Richard Chang Organizations: Saudi, Brent, U.S . West Texas, Organization of, Petroleum, Northern, U.S, Bank Asset Management, U.S . Federal, Thomson Locations: China, BENGALURU, U.S, Iran, Saudi, US

☆ Netanyahu convenes Iran war drill, scorns UN nuclear watchdog
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-04 | by ( Dan Williams | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

Israel has long maintained that for diplomacy to succeed, Iran must be faced with a credible military threat. The agency's capitulation to Iranian pressure is a black stain on its record," Netanyahu told his cabinet in televised remarks. After then U.S. President Donald Trump quit the Iran nuclear deal in 2018, Tehran ramped up uranium enrichment. In a 2012 U.N. speech, Netanyahu deemed 90% enrichment by Iran a "red line" that could trigger preemptive strikes. Focussing domestic attention on Iran might provide Netanyahu with respite from a months-long crisis over his proposals to overhaul Israel’s judiciary.

Persons: Benjamin Netanyahu ramped, U.N, Israel, Netanyahu, Donald Trump, Dan Williams, Angus MacSwan, Grant McCool Organizations: Iran's, UN, International Atomic Energy Agency, IAEA, Thomson Locations: Tehran, Iran, Israel, Tel Aviv, Syria, IRAN, Soviet, Vienna

Those concerns intensified in February after U.N. inspectors revealed their discovery of uranium particles of 83.7% purity at an Iran nuclear facility built deep underground to protect it from air strikes. Western officials fear a nuclear-armed Iran could threaten Israel, Gulf Arab oil producers, and spark a regional arms race. A senior Iranian nuclear official said Tehran would not take the revival of U.N. sanctions lying down. But Western officials and analysts say that Iran's production of 90% uranium would demand a significant response. 'FACE A CRISIS AT SOME POINT'While Western officials want to leave the door open for diplomacy, tensions with Russia and China make that harder.

☆ Biden urged to deliver 'historic' arms control speech at G7 summit in Japan
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-20 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

WASHINGTON, April 20 (Reuters) - Two dozen arms control advocates have urged President Joe Biden to use next month's G7 summit in Hiroshima, which was hit by the first U.S. atomic bombing of World War Two, to reaffirm a U.S. commitment to nuclear disarmament and readiness for arms control talks with Russia and China. The advocates, including several former senior U.S. arms control officials, made their appeal in a letter sent to Biden on Wednesday that was first seen by Reuters. The May 19-21 summit in the Japanese city "creates an historic opportunity for you to acknowledge the horrors of nuclear war," advance the goal of nuclear disarmament, and pledge "concrete steps to prevent a new arms race," they wrote to Biden. The letter urged Biden to deliver an address at the G7 summit acknowledging the "long-lasting human suffering" caused by the 1945 U.S. atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, and the "catastrophic devastation" a nuclear war would cause "on a global scale." Reporting by Jonathan Landay and Arshad Mohammed; Editing by Leslie AdlerOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Russia's biggest airline reportedly sends first plane to Iran for repairs as sanctions cut off access to new replacement parts
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-11 | by ( Britney Nguyen | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Russia's biggest airline reportedly sent a plane to Iran for the first time for maintenance. Boeing and Airbus both stopped supplying Russian airlines with spare parts as part of the sanctions last spring. Aircraft lessors in the European Union were required to end contracts with Russian airlines last March. Analysts predicted Russia could start "cannibalizing" its fleet of planes for parts as Western sanctions blocked suppliers from sending parts and providing repairs for Russian airplanes. Russia reportedly signed an agreement with Iran last July to supply Russian airlines with Iranian airplane parts, and for Iran to provide maintenance and repairs for Russian aircraft.

☆ China brokering a deal between the Saudis and Iran is a message for the US: Change your strategy or get left behind
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-05 | by ( Hassan El-Tayyab | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

In March, Saudi Arabia and Iran announced they had normalized relations in a deal brokered by China. Hassan El-Tayyab is legislative director for Middle East policy at the Friends Committee on National Legislation. By mediating the Saudi-Iran deal, China has demonstrated its ability to play a constructive role in resolving conflicts impartially, rather than relying on arms sales to keep nations in America's corner in geopolitical disputes. There have been some positive signs for diplomacy in Yemen since the Saudi-Iran deal was announced. Hassan El-Tayyab is the legislative director for Middle East policy at the Friends Committee on National Legislation.

☆ Iran isn't worried about the US attacking it, but Biden has other ways to cut a deal with Tehran
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-28 | by ( John Reid Wilcox | Defense Priorities | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

While the Iran nuclear deal may never be revived, there are still ways to engage and avoid conflict. Sanctions relief and good-faith engagement can go a long way to ease tensions and avoid a nuclear Iran. Faced with unrelenting US pressure, Iran's leaders are regularly meeting with Russian and Chinese officials and pledging unprecedented levels of cooperation. American policymakers today face a key inflection point in the bilateral relationship, and the "no nuclear deal, no crisis" dynamic appears increasingly unsustainable. Donald Trump with a copy of the memorandum withdrawing the US from the Iran nuclear deal.

☆ Oil prices soften; banking crisis and Chinese demand in focus
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-28 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Oil prices rose in early Asian trade on the prospect that a stalled Iran nuclear deal and Moscow's new mobilization campaign would restrict global supplies. Crude prices retreated on Tuesday after rallying the previous session, with markets focused on developments in the banking crisis and indications of strengthening demand in China. Oil prices were also likely to continue drawing support from indications of recovering Chinese demand. "China's manufacturing and services PMIs will be a major economic driver to oil prices as positive data is most likely to further improve the demand outlook," Teng said. U.S. crude oil stockpiles were seen rising about 200,000 barrels last week, a preliminary Reuters poll showed on Monday.

☆ Oil markets steady as investors weigh banking crisis, Russia
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-27 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Oil markets are closely watching the sentiment in financial market, while oil fundamentals remain sidelined, said Vandana Hari, founder of oil market analysis provider Vanda Insights. A stronger dollar makes dollar-denominated commodities more expensive for holders of other currencies and tends to weigh on demand for oil. Despite lowering output, Russia is expected to maintain crude oil exports by cutting refinery output in April, data from industry sources and Reuters calculations showed on Friday. Exports of Russian oil products have to date been more affected than crude exports by a recent European Union embargo, with tonnes of diesel stuck on ships awaiting buyers. Analysts said Russian crude inventories have been rising since September last year, and the country would likely want to avoid further stockbuilds during refinery maintenance season from March to June.

☆ Oil falls as U.S. holds off refilling strategic reserve
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-24 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Some pumpjacks operate while others stand idle in the Belridge oil field near McKittrick, California. Oil prices rose in early Asian trade on the prospect that a stalled Iran nuclear deal and Moscow's new mobilization campaign would restrict global supplies. Oil prices fell on Friday, extending the previous day's losses, on worries about potential oversupply after U.S. Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm said refilling the country's Strategic Petroleum Reserve or SPR may take several years. The White House said in October it would buy back oil for the SPR when prices were at or below about $67-$72 per barrel. On the supportive side, Goldman Sachs said commodities demand was surging in China, the world's biggest oil importer, with oil demand topping 16 million bpd.

☆ Top US general says Iran could produce a nuke within 'several' months
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-23 | by ( John Haltiwanger | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Gen. Mark Milley told lawmakers it would take Iran "several" months to produce a nuke. Before then-President Donald Trump withdrew the US from the 2015 Iran nuclear deal — formally known as the JCPOA — in May 2018, Iran's breakout time to a nuclear weapon was roughly a year. "Back in 2018, when the previous administration decided to leave the JCPOA, it would have taken Iran about 12 months to produce one bomb's worth of fissile material," Kahl said. Iran has repeatedly maintained that its nuclear program is peaceful, an assertion that has been met with widespread skepticism in the West. During a visit to the Middle East last July, Biden said that the US would use military force as a "last resort" to prevent Iran from developing a nuclear weapon.

☆ The China-brokered Saudi-Iran deal has big repercussions for the Middle East — and the U.S.
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-15 | by ( Natasha Turak | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +8 min

Taking up a specific role that the U.S. could not have fulfilled, this was Beijing's first foray into Middle East mediation, an area that for the past few decades was largely occupied by Washington. "I think China was a good partner to do this. I think they're the right people," he said, noting that China invests heavily in Saudi Arabia and is its top trading partner. Chinese President, Xi Jinping (L) is welcomed by Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud (R) at the Palace of Yamamah in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia on December 8, 2022. And not just economically, as it already exports an immense amount of goods to the Middle East and is the largest importer of Saudi oil – but politically.

White House spokesperson John Kirby said on Friday that while Washington was not directly involved, Saudi Arabia kept U.S. officials informed of the talks with Iran. NUCLEAR TALKSThe agreement comes as Iran accelerates its nuclear program after two years of failed U.S. attempts to revive a 2015 deal that aimed to stop Tehran producing a nuclear bomb. "Saudi Arabia is deeply concerned about Iran's nuclear program," he said. "If this new opening between Iran and Saudi Arabia is going to be meaningful and impactful, it will have to address the concerns about Iran's nuclear program - otherwise the opening is just optics." Friday's agreement also offers hope for more durable peace in Yemen, where a conflict sparked in 2014 has widely been seen as a proxy war between Saudi Arabia and Iran.

☆ Behind the Epic Dance Moves in ‘RRR’
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-02 | by ( ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

WSJ Opinion: Benjamin Netanyahu on the Iran Nuclear ThreatIn an interview with 'Global View' columnist Walter Russell Mead, the Prime Minister of Israel pointed to developments in Iran, then queried what might happen should it become the first nuclear power run by radical Islam. The answer, he says, is to "expand the circle of peace." Images: Reuters/AP/AFP via Getty Images Composite: Mark Kelly

☆ Watch: Alex Murdaugh Found Guilty in Murders of His Wife and Son
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-02 | by ( ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

☆ Watch: Heavy Snowfall Shuts Down Parts of California
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-02 | by ( ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

☆ Iran can make fissile material for a bomb 'in about 12 days' - U.S. official
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-28 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

REUTERS/Elizabeth FrantzWASHINGTON, Feb 28 (Reuters) - Iran could make enough fissile for one nuclear bomb in "about 12 days," a top U.S. Defense Department official said on Tuesday, down from the estimated one year it would have taken while the 2015 Iran nuclear deal was in effect. Back in 2018, when the previous administration decided to leave the JCPOA it would have taken Iran about 12 months to produce one bomb's worth of fissile material. Now it would take about 12 days," Kahl, the third ranking Defense Department official, told lawmakers. U.S. officials have repeatedly estimated Iran's breakout time - how long it would take to acquire the fissile material for one bomb if it decided to - at weeks but have not been as specific as Kahl was. While U.S. officials say Iran has grown closer to producing fissile material they do not believe it has mastered the technology to actually build a bomb.

☆ Watch: Floods in Brazil Kill Dozens During Carnival Weekend
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-20 | by ( ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

☆ China, Iran call for Iran sanctions to be lifted; Xi to visit
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-16 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

[1/5] Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi stands next to Chinese President Xi Jinping during a welcoming ceremony in Beijing, China, February 14, 2023. Xi also accepted an invitation from Raisi to visit Iran and would do so at his convenience, the two leaders said in a joint statement on the last day of a three-day state visit to China by Raisi. In 2018, then U.S. President Donald Trump withdrew the United States from the deal and ordered the reimposition of U.S. sanctions on Iran. "All relevant sanctions should be fully lifted in a verifiable manner to promote the full and effective implementation," Xi and Raisi said. China and Iran emphasised that lifting sanctions and ensuring Iran economic benefits were important components of the agreement, they said.

CHARLESTON, S.C., Feb 15 (Reuters) - Former UN ambassador Nikki Haley is expected to focus on the threats China and Russia pose to the United States and the need for fresh blood atop the Republican ticket in the first stop of her campaign for the 2024 presidential nomination on Wednesday. China has captured renewed attention in the United States over the past week after the U.S. military shot down what officials said was a Chinese spy balloon off the South Carolina coast. She is scheduled to speak in downtown Charleston, South Carolina, at 11 a.m. local time (1600 GMT). Haley is later slated to swing through Iowa and New Hampshire, which will hold the first and second Republican nominating contests of the 2024 campaign cycle. She may not be the only South Carolina Republican eyeing the White House.

Senator Tim Scott of South Carolina, New Hampshire Governor Chris Sununu and former Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson, among others. [1/7] Old welcome signs heralding the hometown of former South Carolina governor and former U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Nikki Haley sit behind the town center in Bamberg, South Carolina, U.S. February 14, 2023. Haley will kick off the start of her 2024 presidential campaign in Charleston, South Carolina. "People don't understand, unless you were here, just what a demonstrative act of leadership that was," said Tom Davis, a Republican state senator who is backing Haley's presidential bid.

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