North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has declared that the ongoing conflict between the United States and Iran validates his country’s decision to retain its nuclear weapons.
Speaking at a session of North Korea’s Supreme People’s Assembly on Tuesday, Kim accused Washington of engaging in what he described as “state-sponsored terrorism and aggression.” He argued that recent events demonstrate why Pyongyang refused international pressure to abandon its nuclear programme.
“The present situation clearly proves” that North Korea was right to reject U.S. demands and diplomatic overtures, Kim said, adding that the country’s nuclear status is now “irreversible.”
The remarks come amid heightened tensions following U.S. and Israeli strikes on targets in Tehran, which reportedly caused significant destruction in parts of the Iranian capital.
Former U.S. President Donald Trump has previously maintained that Iran posed an “imminent” threat, despite earlier claims that its nuclear capabilities had been severely weakened.
For North Korea, the Iran conflict appears to reinforce a long-standing strategic belief: that nuclear weapons serve as a deterrent against potential U.S. military action.
The development is significant as Trump has recently indicated willingness to reopen diplomatic talks with Kim, reviving efforts that stalled after the collapse of negotiations in 2019. However, Kim’s latest position suggests a shift in approach, insisting that any future engagement must recognize North Korea as a nuclear-armed state and end what Pyongyang calls U.S. “hostility.”
In recent weeks, North Korea has intensified its military demonstrations, including cruise missile launches from a newly unveiled warship and tests of what state media described as nuclear-capable rocket systems.
Tags:
North Korea, Kim Jong Un, Iran War, United States, Donald Trump, Nuclear Weapons, Global Security, Middle East Conflict, Diplomacy, Military Tensions
