Iran may turn to North Korea to help build nuke at 'secret facility'
In the context of heightened tensions in the Middle East, Senior Researcher Dr Azriel Bermant warns, that Iran may seek assistance from North Korea to continue its nuclear programme.
Dr Bermant highlights that despite visible damage to Iran's infrastructure, “it would be wrong to say that Iran’s nuclear programme has been destroyed, it has been degraded.” He notes that Iran may have concealed around 400 kilograms of highly enriched uranium before the strikes, but stresses that producing a nuclear bomb would still require advanced technological steps, including conversion of the material and access to secret facilities. While cooperation with China or Russia seems unlikely, he warns that “you can’t rule out maybe some kind of cooperation with North Korea,” especially given their experience with missile development.
He also points out that if Iran were to withdraw from the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty and expel international inspectors, verifying its nuclear activities would become significantly harder. While Dr Bermant believes the recent strikes have delayed Iran’s nuclear plans, he cautions against underestimating Tehran’s long-term determination: “We need to be modest and keep an open mind.”
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