Iran and North Korea economic ties are so meager
A senior diplomat said Tehran has no military cooperation with North Korea whatsoever, adding that economic ties between Tehran and Pyongyang are so meager that one can say the two sides have no relations at present.
"During our talks with our South Korean and Japanese friends, we have told them that we have no military cooperation with North Korea in any way. And our economic collaboration with the country is so limited that we can say there is no cooperation between Tehran and Pyongyang," Deputy Foreign Minister for Asia-Pacific Affairs Ebrahim Rahimpour also told.
US President Donald Trump contended in his speech on Oct. 13 that Iran might have military links with Pyongyang.
"There are also many people who believe that Iran is dealing with North Korea. I am going to instruct our intelligence agencies to do a thorough analysis and report back their findings beyond what they have already reviewed," he said.
Pointing to the current tense situation in the Korean Peninsula, he said Iran understands the concerns of Japan and South Korea, and strongly supports peace and stability in the peninsula and opposes nuclear weapons.
North Korea carried out its sixth and by far most powerful nuclear test, a hydrogen bomb, on Sept. 3 under its leader, Kim Jong-un, in defiance of UN sanctions. It followed a series of North Korean missile tests, including one that flew over Japan.
North Korea says it aims to reach "equilibrium" of military force with the United States that is able to target the US mainland with a powerful, nuclear-tipped missile.
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