North Korea has sharply condemned the U.S. strikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities, calling the operation a severe infringement on Iran’s sovereignty and security, as Pyongyang aligned itself with Tehran and accused Washington and Israel of fueling Middle East instability.

Pyongyang Aligns with Tehran Against West

In a statement carried by state media KCNA, North Korea's foreign ministry denounced the strikes as acts of “violent trampling” on Iran’s territorial integrity. “The United States and Israel are the culprits of the current tensions in the Middle East,” the statement read, blaming Jerusalem's “ceaseless war moves and territorial expansion” endorsed by the West.

The ministry called on the global community to “raise the voice of unanimous censure and rejection” against what it called U.S.-Israeli confrontation.

Iran and North Korea have long-standing ties and have reportedly cooperated on ballistic missile development for decades. Their military relationship, though largely clandestine, remains a point of concern for Western intelligence.

Potential for Missile Support and Escalation

According to Ankit Panda of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, Pyongyang could assist Iran in rebuilding its missile production infrastructure, particularly non-fissile components of a nuclear weapon such as conventional explosives. However, he noted North Korea would be cautious about proliferating nuclear weapon design itself, which could compromise its own deterrent posture if exposed.

In 2021, a now-defunct U.N. panel reported resumed cooperation between the two countries on long-range missile systems.

Growing Axis of Resistance

The condemnation comes as North Korea has deepened military ties with Russia, another of Iran’s strategic partners, including supplying troops and ballistic missiles for Moscow’s war in Ukraine. The increasing collaboration among these nations heightens concerns over a widening geopolitical axis opposing Western influence.