Why Kim Jong Un Points To Iran To Justify Nukes

Kim Jong Un is pointing to the current conflict in Iran as the perfect example of why he refuses to give up his nuclear program. From his perspective, the US strikes on Tehran prove that a country without a nuclear shield is vulnerable to outside intervention. He’s framing his decision to ignore global sanctions and expand his arsenal not as a provocation but as a survival strategy, arguing that having these weapons is the only way to ensure North Korea doesn't face a similar fate.

In remarks released this week, Kim Jong Un took aim at Washington, accusing it of hostile actions and calling out what he sees as a pattern of aggression—though he stopped short of directly referring to Iran. Speaking before North Korea’s Supreme People’s Assembly, he made it clear he has no regrets about holding on to nuclear weapons.

Kim argued that recent developments only reinforce his long-held position: that giving up the country’s nuclear programme would have been a mistake. He dismissed past US outreach as empty persuasion, saying North Korea’s nuclear status is now a settled matter that won’t be reversed.

From the US perspective, President Donald Trump insisted that Iran remained a serious threat, even after claiming months earlier that its nuclear program had been "obliterated". He framed the strikes on Tehran as a necessary measure to prevent Iran from ever acquiring a nuclear weapon, a justification that, in Kim Jong Un’s eyes, clearly shows the danger faced by countries without a nuclear shield.

Kim’s speech comes at an important moment. Trump has suggested he might restart talks, reviving efforts that ended in 2019. But Kim’s words make it clear that any new meeting would not focus on denuclearisation like past summits. He seems willing to meet again, but only if the US accepts North Korea as a nuclear power and ends what Pyongyang calls its “hostile policy".

North Korea is believed to have stockpiled dozens of nuclear warheads. Unlike Iran or Venezuela, it says it already possesses functioning nuclear weapons and missiles that could, in theory, reach the mainland US. The Kim administration is set to dedicate nearly 16% of its GDP to defence this year, fuelling an arsenal that’s becoming more varied and advanced. From short-range nuclear weapons and land-targeting cruise missiles to a growing fleet of mobile ballistic and intercontinental missiles, the country is clearly aiming to expand both the reach and sophistication of its military capabilities.

Analysts note that even in a tightly controlled state, politics still matter. Kim Jong-un’s push for nuclear weapons isn’t just about national defence—it's also a way to shore up his standing at home. With the economy struggling and the country largely cut off from the outside world, the military buildup offers him a visible way to show citizens that he’s achieving tangible progress.