July 20, 2006 :: Reuters :: News
Iranian observers were present at all of the seven recent missile tests by North Korea, according to the State Department. Speaking before a U.S. Senate hearing, Assistant Secretary of State Chris Hill, the chief U.S. negotiator with Pyongyang, confirmed that Iranian representatives had observed all seven tests, which included the launch of a Taep’o-dong 2 long-range ballistic missile, and six shorter-range No-dong and Scud missiles.
In recent weeks, U.S. officials have expressed serious concerns that cash-strapped Pyongyang has been attempting to sell its ballistic missiles and possibly nuclear material. “Our understanding is that North Korea has had a number of commercial relations in the Middle East with respect to missiles,” Hill said. The worry is that Pyongyang will proliferate its technology to rogue nations such as Iran, or transnational Islamic terrorist organizations. Hill and Senator George Allen (R-VA) noted that North Korea’s ties with Iran are of even greater concern now, as the Islamic militant group Hezbollah, backed by Iran, fires its Iranian-made rockets and cruise missiles at Israel. (Article)
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