Why is North Korea forming an alliance with Iran?

Last Updated on May 9, 2024 2:35 am

Both North Korea and Iran are pursuing anti-US policies. They can exchange information on drones and nukes among themselves. North Korea now wants to build new relationships with like-minded countries beyond Russia and China. Recently, Pyongyang and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un have turned their attention to Iran.

Kim Sung Kyung, a professor at the University of North Korea Studies in Seoul, said that North Korea seems to have such a good opportunity to oppose America and stand by Iran.

He said, North Korea feels that an opportunity to sell arms and military technology to Tehran has also come before them. Sanctions are in place against North Korea and Iran. In the meantime, North Korea wants to get some financial benefits.

Last April, North Korea sent a high-level trade and financial delegation to Tehran. After 2019, they again sent such a delegation to Iran. Both the countries have kept their mouths shut about what was discussed, whether there was any agreement. However, there are speculations that military technology, nuclear weapons and ballistic missiles have been discussed.

Iran denied

Iran said there was no talk of cooperation on nuclear technology. Iran’s foreign ministry spokesman Nasser Kanani said foreign media are making biased speculations. There is no truth to it.

After that, North Korea said that the new sanctions imposed by America against Iran are not correct. Tehran is suspected to have provided drones to Moscow that have been used against Ukraine.

Daniel Pinkston, a professor of international relations at Troy University’s Seoul campus, said Tehran and Pyongyang have a long-standing relationship. In many cases it is contradictory. Iran is a theocratic Islamic country and North Korea is a leader-based communist country. But according to him, as the two countries are very different on the one hand, on the other hand they also have similarities. Both places have authoritarian regimes. Both countries are anti-US.

Reasons why North Korea is giving importance to Iran

North Korea now wants closer ties with Russia, China, Syria and Belarus as well as Iran. Also they are closing their embassies in one country after another. They have closed embassies in Spain, Angola, Uganda, Hong Kong and Nepal. North Korea is now focusing on countries that will help them militarily and financially.

Pinkston thinks Iran and Korea will get closer. They will give each other political and diplomatic help.

He said that in the past, North Korea has provided nuclear technology to Iran. As a result, Israel is angry. Now North Korea can give Iran the weapons it has developed. They can give information from nuclear tests to Iran. They can also offer space technology.

Both countries are enthusiastic about drone technology. They want to make drones a more effective weapon on the battlefield. Ukraine has shown how effective drones can be in combat.

In addition, getting oil from Iran is also very important for North Korea. Iran may try to deliver this oil to North Korea through Russia.