N Korea helping Iran with nuclear testing
Pastor Dale Morgan
N Korea helping Iran with nuclear testing*
By Con Coughlin
Last Updated: 2:29am GMT 24/01/2007
North Korea is helping Iran to prepare an underground nuclear test
similar to the one Pyongyang carried out last year.
Under the terms of a new understanding between the two countries, the
North Koreans have agreed to share all the data and information they
received from their successful test last October with Teheran's nuclear
scientists.
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Gas mask sales increased after North Korea's nuclear test
North Korea provoked an international outcry when it successfully fired
a bomb at a secret underground location and Western intelligence
officials are convinced that Iran is working on its own weapons programme.
A senior European defence official told The Daily Telegraph that North
Korea had invited a team of Iranian nuclear scientists to study the
results of last October's underground test to assist Teheran's
preparations to conduct its own — possibly by the end of this year.
There were unconfirmed reports at the time of the Korean firing that an
Iranian team was present. Iranian military advisers regularly visit
North Korea to participate in missile tests.
Now the long-standing military co-operation between the countries has
been extended to nuclear issues.
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As a result, senior western military officials are deeply concerned that
the North Koreans' technical superiority will allow the Iranians to
accelerate development of their own nuclear weapon.
"The Iranians are working closely with the North Koreans to study the
results of last year's North Korean nuclear bomb test," said the
European defence official.
"We have identified increased activity at all of Iran's nuclear
facilities since the turn of the year," he said.
"All the indications are that the Iranians are working hard to prepare
for their own underground nuclear test."
The disclosure of the nuclear co-operation between North Korea and Iran
comes as Teheran seems set on a collision course with the West over its
nuclear programme, although it insists it is entirely peaceful.
Both countries were named in President George W Bush's famous "axis of
evil" State of the Union speech in 2002.
The United Nations Security Council has unanimously authorised the
imposition of "smart" sanctions against Iran.
This is because of its refusal to suspend its uranium enrichment
programme, which most Western intelligence agencies believe is part of a
clandestine nuclear weapons programme.
France expressed concern yesterday over an Iranian decision to bar 38 UN
nuclear inspectors from Iran, claiming that Teheran appeared to be
singling out westerners from the inspection team.
Intelligence estimates vary about how long it could take Teheran to
produce a nuclear warhead. But defence officials monitoring the growing
co-operation between North Korea and Iran believe the Iranians could be
in a position to test fire a low-grade device — less than half a kiloton
— within 12 months.
The precise location of the Iranian test site is unknown, but is likely
to be located in a mountainous region where it is difficult for spy
satellites to pick up any unusual activity.
Teheran successfully concealed the existence of several key nuclear
sites — including the controversial Natanz uranium enrichment complex —
until their locations were disclosed by Iranian dissidents three years ago.
Western intelligence agencies have reported an increase in the number of
North Korean and Iranian scientists travelling between the two countries.
The increased co-operation on nuclear issues began last November when a
team of Iranian nuclear scientists met their North Korean counterparts
to study the technical and political implications of Pyongyang's nuclear
test.
The Iranians are reported to have been encouraged by the fact that no
punitive action was taken against North Korea, despite the international
outcry that greeted the underground firing.
This has persuaded the Iranian regime to press ahead with its own
nuclear programme with the aim of testing a low-grade device, which
would be difficult for international inspectors to detect.
Pastor Dale Morgan
N Korea helping Iran with nuclear testing*
By Con Coughlin
Last Updated: 2:30am GMT 26/01/2007
North Korea is helping Iran to prepare an underground nuclear test
similar to the one Pyongyang carried out last year.
Under the terms of a new understanding between the two countries, the
North Koreans have agreed to share all the data and information they
received from their successful test last October with Teheran's nuclear
scientists.
Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and Kim Jong il; Iran and N Korea are said to be
collaborating over a nuclear test
Nuclear partners? Iran's president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and Kim Jong il
of N Korea
North Korea provoked an international outcry when it successfully fired
a bomb at a secret underground location and Western intelligence
officials are convinced that Iran is working on its own weapons programme.
A senior European defence official told The Daily Telegraph that North
Korea had invited a team of Iranian nuclear scientists to study the
results of last October's underground test to assist Teheran's
preparations to conduct its own — possibly by the end of this year.
There were unconfirmed reports at the time of the Korean firing that an
Iranian team was present. Iranian military advisers regularly visit
North Korea to participate in missile tests.
Now the long-standing military co-operation between the countries has
been extended to nuclear issues.
As a result, senior western military officials are deeply concerned that