North Korea Respects Iran's Selection of Mojtaba Khamenei as Supreme Leader, Condemns US-Israel Attack

Pyongyang. North Korea has stated it respects Iran's decision to select Mojtaba Khamenei as the new Supreme Leader. Furthermore, it strongly condemned the US-Israel attack on Iran as illegal.

North Korea's state news agency, Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), on Wednesday quoted a spokesperson for the North Korean Foreign Ministry as saying that Pyongyang respects the right of the Iranian people to choose their Supreme Leader.

Mojtaba Khamenei is the second son of Iran's former Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Ali Khamenei was killed in a US-Israel attack at the beginning of the war on February 28. Subsequently, the Assembly of Experts in Iran announced the selection of Mojtaba Khamenei as the new Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution.

North Korea expressed respect for the decision and accused the military attack by the US and Israel against Iran of undermining the foundation of regional peace and security.

The Foreign Ministry spokesperson stated, "The illegal military attack by the US and Israel on Iran has weakened regional peace and international stability, which we strongly condemn." He added that the world community should oppose such actions, calling the attack on any country's political system and territorial integrity unacceptable.

Previously, North Korea had criticized the US-Israel attack on Iran, calling it gangster-style behavior. Meanwhile, KCNA also reported that North Korean leader Kim Jong Un monitored the test launch of a strategic cruise missile from the country's newest and largest naval destroyer, the Choe Hyon. During the test, Kim stated the strategic necessity of maintaining and expanding a powerful and reliable nuclear deterrence capability.

Last week, Kim also discussed the goal of equipping his naval forces with nuclear weapons. Although the US has long sought to end North Korea's nuclear program, Pyongyang maintains that it is a necessary deterrent capability to guard against external aggression. 

Recently, the US administration signaled its readiness to resume high-level talks with North Korea. Kim Jong Un has also stated that relations between the two countries could improve if Washington accepts North Korea as a nuclear-weapon state.