- WASHINGTON (Reuters) - One
or more Iranians witnessed North Korea's recent missile tests, deepening
U.S. concerns about growing ties between two countries with troubling nuclear
capabilities, a top U.S. official said on Thursday.
-
- Asked at a U.S. Senate hearing about reports that Iranians
witnessed the July 4 tests, Assistant Secretary of State Chris Hill, the
chief U.S. negotiator with Pyongyang, replied: "Yes, that is my understanding"
and it is "absolutely correct" that the relationship is worrisome.
-
- Hill's comments are believed to be the first public U.S.
confirmation that Iranian representatives observed the seven tests, which
involved one launch of a long-range ballistic missile, which failed soon
after being fired, and six tests of short and medium-range missiles. Hill
said the six succeeded in hitting their target range.
-
- But U.S. officials have long said that Iran and North
Korea have been collaborating and have expressed serious concerns that
cash-strapped Pyongyang was keen to sell missiles and possibly also 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.
-
- North Korea-Iran ties are of even more concern now as
the militant Islamic group Hizbollah, which is backed by Iran, is trading
rocket fire with Israel, Hill and Republican Sen. George Allen of Virginia
said during the hearing of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.
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- http://today.reuters.com/news/newsArticle.aspx?type=topNews&storyID=20
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