Часть программы Северной Кореи по производству обогащенного урана осуществляется в Иране, сообщает Haaretz со ссылкой на иностранные источники. Кроме того, в Иране испытывают северокорейские двигатели для ракет дальнего радиуса действия. Все испытания содержатся в секрете от США и соседей Северной Кореи.

Основная помощь Северной Корее в производстве обогащенного урана до 1990-х годом оказывалась Пакистаном, до того, как к власти в Пакистане пришел нынешний президентПервез Мушарраф.

Сотрудничество с Ираном началось в более поздний период. Северная Корея провела в Иране испытания двигателей для ракет Taepo Dong радиусом действия от 3500 до 5000 километров. В обмен на это правительство Ирана получило технологии создания подобных ракет и строительства центрифуг для производства обогащенного урана. По данным компетентных источников, иранские центрифуги, сконструированные по северокорейской технологии, уже готовы к эксплуатации. The Iranians are getting know-how from North Korea on building centrifuges for producing enriched uranium as well as know-how on developing engines for long-range missiles. Foreign sources say the North Korean centrifuges in Iran have reached the operational stage for production, but they do not know when the stage was reached and how much of the processed uranium Iran will get from North Korea's centrifuges. As for North Korea's activities in Iran regarding missiles, the foreign sources said that Pyongyang has already tested the engines of Taepo Dong missiles. The first version of the missile was built in 1998, while the more advanced version came out less than a year later. The missile is believed to have a range of between 3,500-5,000 kilometers. Early testing of the missile in North Korea prompted vehement criticism by its neighbors. The Iranians have begun planning a Shihab-5 on the basis of the Taepo Dong missiles. North Korea's involvement with Iran is not its only activity in the Middle East. The country helped Syria develop a production line for improved range Scud missiles, including advanced Scud D missiles. Egypt also has a missile connection with North Korea. Under American pressure, Cairo was forced to forgo a deal to purchase 50 Nodong missile engines from Pyongyang. Nodong missiles have a range of 1,300 kilometers and form the basis of the Shihab-3 missile developed by Iran and the mid-range Pakistani missile. Israel now must determine how much Pyongyang help to Tehran has advanced Iranian ambitions, considering the failure to block the Russian technology leak to Iran. Furthermore, if Washington now applies pressure on North Korea, forcing it back into isolation, how will that affect Pyongyang weapons development activity in other Arab countries. There is also the question of how the new crisis with North Korea will affect Washington's plans for Iraq. With North Korea joining the nuclear club and Iran on its way, there will be severe regional implications for Asian countries like Japan and South Korea as well as for various Middle Eastern countries.