�A North Korean state-run paper on Monday voiced strong support for Iran�s launch of nuclear-capable missiles last month, praising it as the Teheran�s effort to maintain �autonomous development� to counter the increasing pressure from the West.









The Rodong Sinmun editorial, entitled �The West�s persistent machinations and Iran�s strong confrontation,� shared the North�s view of the ongoing power-struggle between Washington and Tehran, claiming continuing sanctions against Iran � even after last year�s nuclear agreement � are the atrocity.

�In July last year, once they reached an agreement on Iran�s nuclear issue, the U.S. unwillingly liftedeconomic sanctions on the country. But the U.S. has again picked on Iran for no reason, condemning Iran�s launch of an Intercontinental Ballistic Missile (ICBM),� the editorial read.

Iran, a nation that has enjoyed a long-standing working relationship with Pyongyang, has launched two nuclear-capable missiles in early March in defiance of the UN Security Council Resolution 2231, Reutersreported.

The North Korean editorial�said that the missile launches were aimed at defending Iran�s territory, to secure peace and stability in the region and are not the violation of the U.S.-led�UN Security Council Resolution 2231.

Pyongyang�s support for Teheran has not been limited to its�strategy for national defense. The editorial described Tehran�s �Economy of Resistance� as the way to govern the country�s economy, and not grow more dependent on the U.S., it said.

�Iranian leader asserted that the country�s development of �Economy of Resistance� would nullify enemies� threats and sanctions, as well as autonomously resolve the unemployment, inflation and economic depression,��Rodong Sinmun read.

Balazs Szalontai of Korea University in Seoul told NK News that the editorial expresses the opinion and hope of Pyongyang that the post-2013 process of Iranian-Western rapprochement might be derailed by the current dispute over Iran�s ballistic missile program.

�Since Iranian-U.S. reconciliation would increase North Korea�s diplomatic isolation, and it would at least partially confirm the Obama administration�s claim that the absence of a similar U.S.-North Korean agreement is solely Pyongyang�s fault, North Korea has a strong stake in any renewed disagreement between Iran and the U.S.,� said Szalontai.

Meanwhile, Eom Sang-yoon, a researcher at the Sejong Institute, told NK News that the editorial�is Pyongyang�s message to Washington and international society.

�The North Korean discussions in the editorial are centered around the �missiles launched for self-defense� (theme),� said Eom.

�The editorial writes that Iran�s recent launches were for self-preservation cause, and this editorial can be read as�Pyongyang�s message to Washington that their recent series of missile launches�were for the cause of self-defense, and it would be unfair for the West�to�impose further sanctions on Pyongyang.�

As Eom said, two days prior to the publication of the North Korean editorial, the North on�last Saturday claimed that ROK-U.S. joint military training �violently violates� its right�to self-defense, and strongly denounced�the U.N. Security Council�s judgement to refuse to punish the U.S. for its military exercises, which it says are aimed at overthrowing the North Korean government, Yonhap News Agency reported.


By NK News.org