WASHINGTON — An Iranian dissident group said Thursday a delegation of North Korean nuclear weapons experts was in Iran in April visiting a heavily guarded secret military site, presumed to be a nuclear weapons development facility.
The National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI), which exposed the existence of a key Iranian nuclear weapons facility in 2002 and significant, illicit Iranian nuclear weapons developments since then, said this was the third visit to Iran in 2015 by a North Korean delegation.
Also, citing confidential information from sources inside Iran鈥檚 Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), the Ministry of Defense (MoD), research and aerospace agencies, NCRI said in a statement another group of North Korean nuclear weapons experts is slated to return to Iran in June.
A State Department official told 草莓传媒, 鈥淲e have seen these claims and we take all such reports seriously. We are examining the report but we have no information at this time that would lead us to believe that these allegations impact our ongoing negotiations over Iran鈥檚 nuclear program.鈥澛�
Iran鈥檚 hardline government has repeatedly said it is pursuing a nuclear program for peaceful purposes. But Alireza Jafarzadeh, deputy director of NCRI鈥檚 Washington-based U.S. office said the group has uncovered what he called a 鈥渂ig, big, red flag鈥�.
During North Korea鈥檚 third nuclear weapons test in February 2013, according to NCRI, Iran鈥檚 top nuclear experts traveled to Pyongyang to observe the trial.
鈥淚f Tehran鈥檚 claim is that their program is for peaceful purposes, how can they聽explain their extensive relationship with North Korea (DPRK), including observing the nuclear test,” asked Jafarzadeh.
Collaborative efforts on missile development between the two countries are no secret, but the relationship allegedly runs much deeper.
鈥淭he North Koreans have been heavily involved beyond the missile program. They鈥檙e involved in helping (Iran) with a nuclear warhead as well as their nuclear program,” said Jafarzadeh.
鈥淭his would be a significant danger if they are collaborating on nuclear weapons,鈥� said Joseph Detrani, president of the Intelligence and National Security Alliance.
According to Detrani, who previously served as the North Korea mission manager for the U.S. intelligence community, 鈥淲e know they have a close relationship on missile development going back years. Iran has sent delegations to observe North Korean tests, and there has been a good deal scientific exchange.鈥�
But the exchange has now crossed what Jafarzadeh calls 鈥渢he red line,鈥� into the transfer of nuclear weapons technology.
For Detrani, that is worrisome, 鈥渂ecause we saw (North Korea) working with Syria, which led to the 2007 Israeli military鈥檚 destruction of a nuclear reactor in Syria鈥檚 Deir ez-Zor region. So it would not be a stretch for them to do it with Iran.鈥�
Dr. David Kay, senior research fellow at the Potomac Institute for Policy Studies and a former United Nations weapons inspector, believes nuclear weapons cooperation between the two is all but a forgone conclusion.
鈥淨uite frankly I wouldn鈥檛 be surprised. I鈥檇 be skeptical if they haven鈥檛 done it, because they collaborate so closely in so many other areas,鈥� said Kay.
NCRI said the most recent North Korean visit, which took place the last week of April 2015 was conducted in total secrecy.
A group of 鈥渟even North Koreans stayed in a special guesthouse located in northeast Tehran known as ‘Imam Khomeini Complex,’ and they were moved around in vans with dark-tinted windows and curtains,鈥� said Jafarzadeh.
鈥淭he delegates,鈥� according to Jafarzadeh, 鈥渋ncluded nuclear experts, nuclear warhead experts, and experts in various areas of ballistic missiles including guidance systems. The North Korean delegations have also provided assistance and consultation in the areas of aerodynamics, missile body design, and electronic components of warheads.鈥�
The group of North Koreans expected to arrive in June, according to NCRI would include nine nuclear weapons experts.
Aware of the talk about the growing collaboration, the State Department official said the U.S. is working with the international community to exercise robust vigilance over the DPRK鈥檚 proliferation activities and is urging other United Nations member states to 鈥渋mplement all relevant UNSCRs on the DPRK and Iran fully and transparently.”
