US War Rhetoric Pushing Iran, Russia, and North Korea Closer Together

by Darius Shahtahmasebi

As the Trump administration continues to prove it is on a warpath with Middle Eastern adversary Iran, the country is looking to strengthen ties with America’s alleged enemies.

As reported by the Associated Press, officials from both Iran and North Korea have said they want to strengthen relations.

“We have always been after stability of relations with North Korea,” Parliament speaker Ali Larijani was quoted as saying by ICANA.ir, the Iranian Parliament’s news agency.

Larijiani was said to be addressing Choe Thae-bok, visiting chairman of North Korea’s Supreme People’s Assembly.

“North Korea is seeking improved relations with Iran,” Thae-bok responded.

Both countries are reportedly seeking better economic relations and are said to have complained about “interventions in independent countries” by the United States.

Supposedly, Iran and North Korea have slowly been building a relationship over the last decade or so. As reported by the Washington Times:

“All the while, collaboration between Pyongyang and Tehran has expanded. In September 2012, North Korea and Iran signed an agreement for technology and scientific cooperation. The Ayatollah Khamenei attended the signing ceremony and declared that Iran and North Korea have ‘common enemies’ and had established an ‘anti-hegemonic front.’ The Washington correspondent of Japan’s Kyodo News Service reported in July 2012 that North Korea and Iran signed a secret agreement in April 2012 to deepen collaboration on “strategic projects.””

According to The Hill, Iranian scientists have been present at nearly every major North Korean missile test for decades.

On one hand, this alliance would appear to present a grave danger to the United States, at least according to anti-Iranian and anti-North Korean narratives perpetuated by American politicians and the mainstream media. In reality, a potential North Korean-Iranian alliance, on its own, should actually be quite laughable to hawks within the U.S. military establishment, especially considering the vast military might the United States and its NATO allies possess.

As such, Larijiani is also said to be seeking even greater ties with Russia, as reported by Russia’s state-owned Sputnik news agency. Iranian state-owned Press TV also reported that Larijiani hinted at the possibility of Russia and Iran forming a “strategic alliance” in the region.

Considering Iran and Russia already have good relations and common interests in Syria, what the Trump administration may eventually be dealing with is a formal military alliance between Russia and Iran. The implications of this are huge, as NATO member Turkey is also looking to join an alliance led by Russia and China, a move that might amount to a NATO ally aligning with long-time rivals Iran and North Korea.

These new partnerships — together with the loss of strategic American allies in Asia — may help derail any future plans for a third global conflict as the balance of power appears to shift outside Washington’s favor.