By Micah Jonah, March 11, 2026
North Korea has announced its support for the appointment of Mojtaba Khamenei as the new supreme leader of Iran, while strongly condemning recent military strikes by the United States and Israel.
According to statements carried by the Korean Central News Agency, a spokesperson for North Korea’s Foreign Ministry said Pyongyang respects Iran’s decision to appoint Mojtaba Khamenei, the son of the late Ali Khamenei, who was reportedly killed at the start of the ongoing war on February 28.
The spokesperson said North Korea recognizes the right of the Iranian people to select their leadership and expressed strong opposition to what it described as unlawful military aggression against Iran.
Pyongyang accused the United States and Israel of undermining regional peace and stability by launching attacks that it said violate the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Iran.
North Korea had earlier condemned the conflict, describing the military actions in the Middle East as “gangster-like conduct” shortly after the war began nearly two weeks ago.
Meanwhile, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un reportedly supervised another strategic cruise missile test from the country’s latest naval destroyer, known as Choe Hyon.
State media said Kim emphasized the need to maintain and strengthen the country’s nuclear deterrence capability, describing it as essential for national security.
The missile test marks the second such launch from the destroyer in recent weeks as North Korea continues to expand its military capabilities despite longstanding international pressure to abandon its nuclear weapons programme.
The United States has for decades attempted to curb North Korea’s nuclear ambitions, though Pyongyang insists that its nuclear arsenal is necessary to deter threats from South Korea and its allies.
Despite ongoing tensions, the administration of Donald Trump has recently indicated interest in reviving diplomatic talks with North Korea, while Pyongyang has suggested that improved relations could be possible if Washington recognizes it as a nuclear power.
