Webloggin » North Korea Assisting Iran in Underground Test

North Korea is assisting Iran in planning an underground nuclear test, which could take place by the end of 2007. North Koreans have agreed to share all the data and information they received from their successful test last October with Teheran’s nuclear scientists.

A senior European defence official told The Daily Telegraph that North Korea had invited a team of Iranian nuclear scientists to study the results of last October’s underground test to assist Teheran’s preparations to conduct its own — possibly by the end of this year.

There were unconfirmed reports at the time of the Korean firing that an Iranian team was present. Iranian military advisers regularly visit North Korea to participate in missile tests. …

As a result, senior western military officials are deeply concerned that the North Koreans’ technical superiority will allow the Iranians to accelerate development of their own nuclear weapon. …

All the indications are that the Iranians are working hard to prepare for their own underground nuclear test.” …

Intelligence estimates vary about how long it could take Teheran to produce a nuclear warhead. But defence officials monitoring the growing co-operation between North Korea and Iran believe the Iranians could be in a position to test fire a low-grade device — less than half a kiloton — within 12 months.

Western intelligence agencies have reported an increase in the number of North Korean and Iranian scientists travelling between the two countries. …

The Iranians are reported to have been encouraged by the fact that no punitive action was taken against North Korea, despite the international outcry that greeted the underground firing. (source)

This should be no surprise to anyone, Iran has been encouraged to go ahead with their nuclear program after seeing the lack of action by the West, specifically the United States, toward North Korea. A possible Iranian underground test before 2008 and a working nuclear warhead within 12 months, or January of 2009. Does this concern anybody in Washington? What about all the presidential candidates? I would like to hear each one share their proposal for dealing with Iran.