Western Diplomat: Iranian Scientists On Hand To Witness North Korea's Nuclear Test

Iranian Scientists Believed To Have Attended North Korean Nuclear Test, Report Says -- Washington Times

Iranian scientists may have been on hand to witness North Korea’s underground nuclear test, according to one Western diplomat.

The source, unnamed but described as having knowledge of inside Iran-North Korea talks and ties, according to United Press International, said an Iranian presence would mean the international community is likely right — that Iran is actively and aggressively pursuing development of nuclear weapons.

According to UPI, the source said that Iran may have paid Pyongyang tens of millions of dollars — in Chinese currency — to obtain access to the test. The Jerusalem Post, too, reported on suspicions of Iran’s presence at the Tuesday test.

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Previous Post: Was This Week's North Korean Nuclear Test Also An Iranian One?

My Comment: If the story that they paid millions to just be present is true .... it makes you wonder on how much would they pay for obtaining nuclear know how and technology .... or how much would they pay for one or two workable bombs. Or more to the point .... how much would North Korea sell this tech and no-how. One billion .... two billion .... talk about nightmare scenarios.

Was This Week's North Korean Nuclear Test Also An Iranian One?

Why Iran Already Has The Bomb -- Lee Smith, Tablet

If North Korea has the bomb, as this week’s nuclear test indicated, then for all practical purposes, so does Iran

The White House and President Obama’s supporters insist that he’s making his first trip to Israel next month to assure the Jewish state that if push comes to shove with Iran, he’ll have Israel’s back. But North Korea’s nuclear test Tuesday morning could indicate that it’s already too late for that. If North Korea has the bomb, then for all practical purposes Iran does, too. If that’s so, then Obama’s policy of prevention has failed, and containment—a policy that the president has repeatedly said is not an option—is in fact all Washington has.

If this sounds hyperbolic, consider the history of extensive North Korean-Iranian cooperation on a host of military and defense issues, including ballistic missiles and nuclear development, that dates back to the 1980s. This cooperation includes North Korean sales of technology and arms, like the BM-25, a missile capable of carrying a nuclear warhead and reaching Western Europe; Iran’s Shahab 3 missile is based on North Korea’s Nodong-1 and is able to reach Israel. Iran has a contigent of Iranian weapons engineers and defense officials stationed in North Korea. Meantime, North Korean scientists visit Iran. And last fall, both countries signed a memorandum of understanding regarding scientific, academic, and technological issues.

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My Comment: Iranian - North Korean relations have been close for years .... has this been translated into the exchange of technology .... specifically missile and nuclear technology .... that is a question that is probably keeping policy makers awake at night.

Update: Inspections? Iran May Already Have a Bomb -- Jonathan S. Tobin, Commentary

The Iran Connection To North Korea's Missile Launch

Relieved: Kim Jong Un smokes a cigarette at the General Satellite Control and Command Centre after the launch of the Unha-3 (Milky Way 3) rocket carrying the second version of Kwangmyongsong-3 satellite. Daily Mail

What North Korea's Rocket Launch Tells Us About Iran's Role -- NPR

U.S. officials say the satellite put into orbit by North Korea's rocket launch this week is wobbling, but that doesn't necessarily mean the launch itself was unsuccessful.

U.S. analysts say the North Koreans' main goal was not to put a satellite into orbit, but just to see all three stages of their rocket work, to show that the rocket could carry its payload a long distance. That it did. In the last test, in April, the first rocket stages worked as designed, but the third stage failed. Charles Vick, a missile expert at GlobalSecurity.org, credits the North Koreans with learning from their past mistakes.

"They have demonstrated not merely an ability to identify problems, but to resolve those problems and get the total system to work together, all three stages working as a single launch vehicle," he said.

So, the North Koreans are making progress.

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My Comment: Iran is denying any nuclear, missile cooperation with North Korea .... but they were the first to congratulate them.

Iranian Officials Present During north Korea's Rocket Test

Photo: REUTERS

Iranian Officials Observed N. Korea's Rocket Launch: Source -- Yonhap News

Anonymous diplomatic source tells South Korea's state news agency 12 Iranian officials observed the failed missile launch last week in North Korea.

WASHINGTON, April 15 (Yonhap) -- A dozen Iranian officials, responsible for the country's ballistic missile program, visited North Korea last week to observe its latest rocket launch, which ended in failure, a diplomatic source here said Sunday.

"On March 31, 12 Iranians of the Shahid Hemmat Industrial Group (SHIG) arrived in North Korea. The Iranians undoubtedly were there to observe the missile launch and receive test data from North Korea," the source told Yonhap News Agency, requesting anonymity.

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More News On Iranian Officials Present During North Korea's Rocket Test

Iranian Nuclear Scientists Were Present At Failed North Korean Missile Launch, Says Source -- Haaretz
'Iranian officials observed North Korean rocket launch' -- Jerusalem Post
Report: Iranians attended N. Korea missile launch -- YNet News
Iran Cozies up to N. Korea, Watches Rocket Launch -- Arutz Sheva
Iranian officials 'observed North Korean rocket launch' -- The Telegraph
Iranian scientist allegedly witnessed N Korean rocket launch -- Voice of Russia
Report: Iranian officials witnessed North Korean rocket launch -- Daily Caller