Iran’s Missile Capabilities Tied to North Korea
The extensive missile system of Iran has roots in North Korea’s communist regime, which is recognized by the United States as a state sponsor of terrorism. Experts believe this connection is essential to understanding the strategic partnership between the two nations.
Bruce Bechtol, a leading authority on this issue and co-author of “Rogue Allies: The Strategic Partnership between Iran and North Korea,” noted that Iran acquired 19 Musudan missiles from North Korea back in 2005. “This capability has existed since then, but it’s certainly not a hidden weapon,” he explained.
Last week, reports highlighted that Iran launched two intermediate-range ballistic missiles aimed at Diego Garcia, a significant distance of around 4,500 miles from Iran, marking a serious escalation in its conflict with the United States.
Bechtol emphasizes that the looming threat from Iran primarily lies in its ballistic missiles. These missiles pose risks not only to American and Israeli targets but also to neighboring Islamic states. “Understanding where this capability originated is crucial,” he stated.
According to him, the short-range ballistic missiles used by Iran have a system called QIAM, developed with North Korean support. “North Korea has actively contributed to this proliferation,” he pointed out.
The State Department has indicated that the collaborative conflict between the U.S. and Israel against Iran has now continued for five weeks. Bechtol pointed out that North Korea constructed a large missile testing facility in Iran’s Fars province, alongside a tracking facility in southern Khorasan province, providing significant technological aids to Iran.
He added that since the late 1990s, North Korea had transferred around 150 Rodong missile systems to Iran, which led to the establishment of a Rodong manufacturing facility in Iran. “This was important for them,” he remarked.
Iran subsequently termed this new missile design the Shahab-3, which closely resembles the Nodong. North Korea’s support allowed Iran to enhance the Shahab-3’s range and effectiveness.
Bechtol elaborated that North Korea has aided Iran in producing missiles like the Emad and Ghadr, which have ranges of 1,750 and 1,950 kilometers respectively. These systems have been utilized against Israel and U.S. military bases in neighboring Arab countries.
Highlighting another missile system, Bechtol described the Khorramshahr-4 as capable of carrying larger warheads than previous models and potentially containing cluster munitions. “It’s notably lethal,” he stated.
He characterized the relationship as straightforward: North Korea acts as the supplier while Iran is the purchaser. The exchange encompasses not only weapons systems and technology but also personnel who help in constructing various military assets. “They’re essentially trading cash and oil for these capabilities,” he explained.
To effectively counter these threats, Bechtol suggested that enforcing existing sanctions against North Korea is critical. “There are already measures in place, but they need stronger enforcement,” he indicated, calling for increased actions against banks and other entities that facilitate this illicit trade.
He emphasized the need for more focus and action on the proliferation security initiative, declaring it an underutilized tool for preventing weapons from reaching rogue states and terrorist groups. “Cutting off the supply chain is key to stopping proliferation,” he noted.
