North Korea has strongly condemned the recent U.S. airstrikes on Iranian nuclear facilities, calling them a grave violation of Iran’s sovereignty and security. The statement, released by state media KCNA, accused the United States and Israel of escalating Middle East tensions through what Pyongyang described as “ceaseless war moves” and territorial expansion, allegedly backed by Western powers.
An unnamed North Korean foreign ministry spokesperson criticized the U.S. for “violently trampling down” Iran’s territorial integrity, urging the global community to unite in opposition to what it called aggressive actions by the U.S. and Israel.
North Korea and Iran have long maintained diplomatic ties and are suspected of military cooperation, particularly in ballistic missile development. A now-defunct U.N. sanctions panel previously reported that both countries resumed joint long-range missile projects, including the transfer of key components.
Analyst Ankit Panda from the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace noted that North Korea could potentially assist Iran in rebuilding damaged missile production sites, possibly in undisclosed locations to evade international scrutiny. However, he added that full-scale cooperation on nuclear weapons development remains uncertain due to the sensitivity of such technology.
“There are aspects of nuclear weapons design that North Korea may be unwilling to share, fearing U.S. discovery could compromise their deterrent capabilities,” Panda said. Still, North Korea has the expertise to support non-fissile components of a nuclear weapon, such as conventional explosives.
The warning comes as Pyongyang also deepens military cooperation with Russia, reportedly supplying missiles and troops for the war in Ukraine—strengthening a trilateral alliance with Iran and Russia that could further challenge Western interests amid rising global tensions.