IntelBrief: Iran and North Korea Draw Closer

Bottom Line Up Front

• Iran and North Korea have developed a strategic partnership to address the challenges of U.S.-led sanctions and diplomatic and military containment efforts.
• Both countries are aligned with Russia and China to counter the U.S. and Western rules-based economic and political order.
• U.S. and broader Western concerns about an Iran-North Korea military partnership center on decades of missile technology cooperation.
• Solidifying its partnership with Iran, North Korea has echoed Tehran’s statements on the October 7-related Mideast crisis, and weapons it previously sent Iran have been used by Hamas.