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North Korea to Launch Missile for Iran?

(World Affairs) Gordon G. Chang - For more than a decade, Pyongyang and Tehran have run a joint missile development program. Iranian observers were present in the North for all four of its long-range missile tests, those in 1998, 2006, 2009, and this April. American intelligence sources indicate Iran tested a North Korean missile for Pyongyang and the North almost certainly provides missile flight-test data to Iran. Iran's Shahab-3 is based on the North Korean Nodong missile and more advanced Iranian missiles, the Shahab-5 and Shahab-6, appear to be variants of North Korea' long-range Taepodong models. Iran has been financing the North Korean program either by purchasing the North's missiles or by sharing development costs and receiving missiles in return. Japan's Kyodo News on Sunday reported that Iran started stationing personnel in North Korea in October at a military facility close to the Chinese border. The Iranians are involved in missile and nuclear programs, according to a Western diplomatic source.
2012-12-07 00:00:00
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