Kim Jong Un’s Minister Who Worked On North Korea’s Syria Relations Visits Iran Amid Festering Middle-East Tensions

A delegation from North Korea, led by the cabinet minister for international trade, is visiting Iran. This visit comes amid long-standing suspicions of covert military ties between the two nations.

What Happened: Yun Jong Ho, the North Korean minister for external economic relations, led a delegation to Iran, departing from Pyongyang by air on Tuesday, according to a Reuters report on Wednesday. The North’s KCNA news agency did not provide additional details about the visit.

Both North Korea and Iran have been under scrutiny for potentially collaborating on ballistic missile programs, including the sharing of technical expertise and production components. In February, Reuters reported that Iran had supplied a significant number of ballistic missiles to Russia for use in its conflict with Ukraine.

North Korea is also suspected of supplying Russia with missiles and artillery, despite denials from both countries. Yun Jong Ho, who has previously worked on North Korea’s relations with Syria, has been actively involved in the country’s growing exchanges with Russia, leading a delegation to Moscow earlier this month.

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Why It Matters: This visit comes at a time of heightened tensions in the Middle East. Earlier this month, the U.S. imposed new sanctions on Iran following an unprecedented attack on Israel. Iran’s Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) capabilities, particularly the Shahed variant, were implicated in the attack.

Shortly after, Israel launched a targeted airstrike near an Iranian military airbase in retaliation for an earlier attack. Despite this, Iran assured there would be no further retaliatory measures, stabilizing oil prices that had surged above $90 a barrel.

Amid these tensions, China affirmed its support for Iran, signaling a continuation of strong bilateral ties. China’s top diplomat expressed readiness to work with Iran across various sectors, further complicating the geopolitical landscape.

Photo by Alexander Khitrov on Shutterstock

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