After a Chinese withdrawal, the standoff between China and India in Ladakh has been resolved, at least for now
Although Northeast Asia and the Middle East are home to different geopolitical realities, the resolution of tensions on the Korean peninsula will almost certainly influence calculations made in Washington and Tehran regarding the Iranian nuclear program.
In 2009, US President Barack Obama affirmed “America’s commitment to seek the peace and security of a world without nuclear weapons”, but it is becoming increasingly difficult to believe that the president is truly committed to eliminating these terrifying weapons of mass destruction.
North Korea has carried out its third, most powerful nuclear device test in defiance of United Nations warnings and bringing condemnation from nations around the world including its ally China.
Both the Iranians and the team from the IAEA have reported on “good meetings” between the parties with “good progress made”. But are they close to an agreement and how far can either side compromise on the nuclear question?