A former US national security advisor believesIranwould have been able to get a nuclear weapon from one of its allies within days beforeDonald Trump ordered the launch of Operation Epic Fury. John Bolton, the national security advisor of Mr Trump during his first term at the White House, has claimed the alliance betweenNorth Koreaand Iran is strong enough that the latter could have bought a nuclear weapon from the hermit regime.
The US attorney claimed a wire transfer to the Central Bank of North Korea would have been what was needed to secure the deal before the war. Following the payment, he added, Pyongyang could "put a nuclear device on an aeroplane, route it throughRussia" and deliver it to the regime in Tehran within three days.
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Speaking toThe Sun, Mr Bolton described the ties between the two regimes as "quite real" when it comes to ballistic missiles and nuclear pursuit.
He added: “That’s what the proliferation threat is all about. Let’s face it, in the China-Russia axis that’s forming right now, Iran and North Korea are two outriders, and so the cooperation between them is very threatening.”
This came as, on Tuesday night, North Korea issued a statement condeming the US and Israeli strikes on Iran as "acts of aggression". The statement added: "Any rhetorical threats and military action, which violate the political system and territorial integrity of the relevant country, interfere in its internal affairs and openly advocate the attempt to overthrow its social system, deserve worldwide criticism and rejection as they can never be tolerated."
The US andIsraeljointly launched Operation Epic Fury on the last day of February. In the first day of aerial strike, the operation targeted the compound of the then Supreme Leader of Iran, Ali Khamenei, who died in the attack.
Over the following days, the US said to have successfully targeted several Iranian vessels and to have quashed the country's drone and missile capability.
Iran has, in turn, launched a series of strikes against its neighbours, including the UAE, drawing strong condemnations among Gulf leaders.
Source: Daily Express :: World Feed
