Russia won’t disclose details of submarine fire due to state secrets; Iran will cut nuclear commitments

Iran to cut nuclear commitments this weekend

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani has announced that Iran will further reduce its nuclear commitments after July 7 and begin enriching uranium as much as necessary. Mr. Rouhani stressed that Iran will not only enrich uranium to 3.67% after July 7, but will also increase the level of enrichment starting from that date. The Iranian president also announced that from that date, the Arak heavy water reactor will be renovated and plutonium production will resume if Europe fails to meet its obligations.

Mr. Rouhani's statement came in the context of the US increasing pressure on Iran while the UK, France and Germany have yet to offer any solution to convince the country to maintain the 2015 nuclear deal. The UK, France and Germany recently emphasized that compliance with the nuclear deal with Iran depends on the level of commitment of this country and called on Iran to refrain from actions that could undermine the implementation of this agreement. Iran doubts the effectiveness of the commitments made by Europe, saying that they are only on paper.

Russia does not disclose details of submarine fire due to state secrets

A Russian submarine enters the Northern Fleet's Severomorsk port. Photo: Reuters

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the ship and its activities were classified, and President Vladimir Putin was immediately informed about the incident, according to Tass. The Russian Defense Ministry said 14 sailors died from inhaling toxic gases after a fire broke out on the ship, which was studying the continental shelf.

Mexican President Wants to Completely Disband the Army

Mexican President wants to replace the army with the National Guard (pictured). Photo: AFP

In an interview with La Jornada, Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador expressed his desire to disband the army and place national security in the hands of the newly created National Guard, although he knew that this proposal would not happen. “If I had the power, I would abolish the army, declaring that Mexico is a peaceful country that does not need an army. And the goal of defending the country when necessary would be carried out by everyone,” he said.

Only a handful of countries in the world have abolished their armies, including two Latin American countries: Costa Rica and Panama. Traditionally, the Mexican Army has stayed out of international conflicts, but it has been deployed to fight drug cartels since 2007. Currently, the Mexican Ministry of Defense has 230,000 soldiers and the Ministry of the Navy has 65,000 soldiers.

EU agrees list of candidates for key posts

German Defense Minister Ursula von der Leyen was nominated as President of the European Commission. Photo: BBC

On the evening of July 2, in Brussels (Belgium), the 28 leaders of the European Union (EU) reached an agreement on the list of nominees for key positions of the bloc for the new term, in which German Defense Minister Ursula von der Leyen was nominated as President of the European Commission. According to the agreement, Belgian Prime Minister Charles Michel will hold the position of President of the European Council, Spanish Foreign Minister Josep Borrell will be the EU's High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, and International Monetary Fund (IMF) Director General Christine Lagarde will hold the position of President of the European Central Bank (ECB).

At a press conference after a tense three-day meeting, European Council President Donald Tusk welcomed the deal, which for the first time will see two key EU leadership positions held by women. He expressed “absolute certainty” that the bloc’s new leader will not change his position and make no concessions on the Brexit deal.

South Korea dismisses army corps commander after North Korean boat docks

South Korea's Defense Ministry announced on July 3 that it had removed the commander of the Army's 8th Corps and reprimanded the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) Park Han-ki for his mistakes in the incident involving a North Korean wooden boat that docked on the country's shores in mid-June. Another South Korean army general and navy admiral are also being considered for disciplinary action. "The investigation found lapses in the military's monitoring and public notification activities," South Korean Defense Minister Jeong Kyeong-doo said.

The decisions came after the South Korean military came under fire for failing to detect a small wooden boat carrying four North Koreans docked in the coastal city of Samcheok, Gangwon Province, on the morning of June 15. The location is about 130 kilometers (81 miles) from the Northern Limit Line (NLL), the de facto maritime border between the two Koreas.

Venezuelan President Could Reach Deal With Opposition This Year

Maduro is ready to resume talks with the opposition and believes the two sides can reach an agreement before the end of the year. "I am certain that in 2019 we will reach a great agreement based on mutual understanding, a foundation of peace, dialogue and democracy for Venezuela," President Nicolas Maduro said on July 3 on Venezuelan state television.

Previously, the Maduro government and the opposition held several rounds of talks in Norway but failed to reach an agreement due to many disagreements that could not be resolved. The opposition is said to demand that Maduro step down in any political solution for Venezuela.