Mid-Day News Items.

No sign of the "cosmic dawn."

1. Tehran’s top nuclear negotiator has flown back to Vienna as Iran and world powers look to revive the 2015 accord, potentially as early as this week. On Sunday, Russia’s main envoy in the talks said there was a “very high probability” of a deal within a week. That followed more optimistic comments from Washington that an agreement was “close.” Sticking points have prevented Tehran and Washington from resolving their differences and it’s unclear exactly how Russia’s invasion of Ukraine might influence the discussions. Iran could possibly ramp up shipments beyond 1 million barrels day within months of an accord, traders estimate, offering potential relief as the Ukraine conflict pushed oil above $100 a barrel. (Source: bloomberg.com)

2. President Biden is sending a delegation of former senior defense and security officials to Taiwan today, a senior official of his administration said, a sign of support for the island claimed by China after Russia's invasion of Ukraine. The visit, led by onetime chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Mike Mullen, comes at a time when Taiwan has stepped up its alert level, wary of China taking advantage of a distracted West to move against it. Beijing claims the democratically governed island as its own and has vowed to bring it under Chinese control, by force if necessary. Mr. Mullen, a retired Navy admiral who served as the top U.S. military officer under former Presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama, will be accompanied by Meghan O'Sullivan, a former deputy national security adviser under Bush, and Michele Flournoy, a former undersecretary of defense under Obama, according to the official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity. Two former National Security Council senior directors for Asia, Mike Green and Evan Medeiros, will also make the trip, which is intended to "demonstrate our continued robust support for Taiwan," the official told Reuters. (Source: asia.nikkei.com)