Saudi Arabia’s Role in an Iran Nuclear Solution

April 4, 2014 | Edited by Lauren Mladenka and Geoff Wilson

Saudi’s role - “Riyadh’s opposition to the Iran nuclear talks has largely been understood in the context of the larger Saudi-Iranian and Sunni-Shia rivalry,” writes Trita Parsi in The National Interest. “Consequently, Saudi’s negative reaction was predictable, the argument goes. The Saudi royal house would undoubtedly not sit idly by as its regional rival negotiated its way out of harsh sanctions and into a potential US-Iranian rapprochement that could pave the way for an American tilt towards Tehran—all at the expense of Saudi interests.”

--“But the intensity of Riyadh’s reaction cannot be explained solely through the kingdom’s displeasure at Tehran’s diplomatic advances. In fact, the unprecedented opening between the US and Iran is arguably only the tip of the iceberg of Saudi Arabia's growing list of concerns. Numerous geopolitical trends in the last decade have evolved in opposition to Saudi interests. Much indicates that it is the combination of these factors, rather than just Saudi displeasure with US-Iranian diplomacy, that best explain the erratic behavior of the House of Saud.”

--“Ultimately, finding a new regional equilibrium that enjoys Saudi buy-in is critical. Saudi Arabia is an important state in the region for both economic and religious reasons. Just as the containment of Iran has become a source of instability in the region, any move that would push Saudi towards greater extremism would ill serve the region. Just like Iran, Saudi Arabia must be part of the solution. In particular, Riyadh has the ability and the responsibility to defuse sectarian strife.” Read the full piece here. http://bit.ly/1luB7Xl

Interview - “US and Saudi Arabia: Differences on Iran” with David Ottoway in The Iran Primer. http://bit.ly/1kxyrH3

Talks Resume - “Iran and six world powers began an expert-level meeting about Tehran's nuclear program on Thursday, part of efforts to reach an agreement by late July on how to resolve a decade-old dispute that has stirred fears of a Middle East war,” Reuters reports. “Both sides have made clear their political commitment to reach a comprehensive agreement but officials acknowledge that success is far from guaranteed in view of decades of mutual mistrust and big differences over the issues involved.”

--“The April 8-9 meeting of chief negotiators - including Ashton and Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif - will be the third round of talks at that level since February.” Read the full story here. http://reut.rs/1lFGKED

Tweet - @NTI_GSN: Watchdog Agency: Missile Interceptor Production Should Await Proven Redesign http://bit.ly/1mIm4t4

Meeting of the minds - “The United States, Japan and South Korea will meet next week to seek ways to persuade North Korea to give up its atomic weapons program, the U.S. State Department said on Thursday, just days after Pyongyang warned of a ‘new form’ of nuclear test,” reports David Brunnstrom in Reuters. “These discussions reflect the close cooperation among our three countries and our continued focus on pursuing the verifiable denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula in a peaceful manner,” a State Department official said. Full article here. http://reut.rs/1ikXKL0

South Korea’s missile proliferation - “Amid rising military threats from North Korea, South Korea conducted its own missile test last week, successfully launching a newly developed ballistic missile capable of striking most of North Korea,” Choe Sang-Hun reports for The New York Times. “The new missile, with a range of 310 miles and a payload of 2,200 pounds, was launched on March 23 from a test site in Taean, a coastal town 68 miles southwest of Seoul.”

--“South Korea has been developing new missiles since Washington and Seoul revised their defense treaty in 2012 to allow it to extend the maximum range of its ballistic missiles from 186 miles to 497 miles to cope better with North Korea’s growing missile and nuclear threats.” Read the full story here. http://nyti.ms/1jajXgJ

Removing waste - “Nearly 2,000 capsules containing radioactive waste at the Hanford Nuclear Reservation should be moved, in part because of earthquake danger, according to a new report by the U.S. Department of Energy's Office of Inspector General. The 1,936 capsules contain radioactive cesium and strontium and are held in a giant pool of water on the Hanford site, the nation's most polluted nuclear weapons production site.”

--“We acknowledge the budgetary challenges facing the department and its impact on moving the capsules into dry storage," report author David Sedillo wrote. "However we suggest that the manager (of the) Richland Operations Office expeditiously proceed with its plans to pursue a dry storage alternative ... at the earliest possible time frame." Read the full article in Greenwich Time. http://bit.ly/1gtACYg

Tweet - @FMWG: Nuclear security: too important to fail via @guardian #NSS2014 http://bit.ly/1q0haaU

Watchdog - “A new watchdog group formed on Wednesday with plans to place tough scrutiny on a ‘problem-plagued’ effort to turn bomb plutonium into electricity,” reports Diane Barnes for Global Security Newswire. “Activists said a key focus for their new organization would be lobbying for alternative methods of eliminating 34 tons of plutonium under an agreement with Russia. Their announcement came in the thick of a fight over an Obama administration bid to suspend work on the project, which is intended to convert the weapon material into mixed-oxide power plant fuel at South Carolina's Savannah River Site.”

--“‘Our job will be to highlight to SRS programs that warrant public attention and involvement,’ said Tom Clements, the new director of Savannah River Site Watch. He said the group would focus on gleaning ‘possible lessons to be learned’ from the troubled mixed-oxide project, as well as backing proposals for other ‘plutonium disposition methods that reduce environmental risks to South Carolina and reduce costs to taxpayers.’” Read the full story here. http://bit.ly/1gtzdRs

Red Team - “A key U.S. senator plans to press Obama officials to circulate details on a weapon-uranium processing plan devised by a specially convened ‘Red Team,’” reports Dianne Barnes for Global Security Newswire. “A spokesman said Senator Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) will call on U.S. nuclear-arms managers to air "as much information as possible" on the draft proposal, which experts are developing as an alternative to a multibillion-dollar uranium complex planned in his state.”

--“The ‘Red Team’ began its review at the Y-12 National Security Complex last month. In prior years, efforts to plan a new Uranium Processing Facility at the Oak Ridge site have hit numerous delays and cost overruns… Initial Energy Department estimates were for the Uranium Processing Facility to be built for no more than $1.1 billion. But the cost projections have grown more than sixfold, with some forecasting that the total could hit nearly $20 billion if the original plans were to go forward… The Red Team reportedly plans in coming weeks to revise its alternative plan for relocating bomb-uranium activities from a 1940s-era structure. Upon completion, the preliminary proposal would go to NNSA Acting Administrator Bruce Held for consideration.” Full story here. http://bit.ly/1jalUd8

Events:

--65th anniversary of NATO. April 4. http://bit.ly/1gVw4ij

--Fifth anniversary of President Obama's Prague speech on nuclear weapons. April 5.http://1.usa.gov/1jKa0HT