YONHAP NEWS

Iran bought submarines from N. Korea, helped Syria get WMDs: report

By Hwang Doo-hyong
WASHINGTON, Oct. 22 (Yonhap) -- Iran has purchased several midget submarines from North Korea and has helped Syria get missiles and other forms of weapons of mass destruction from the North, a report has said.

   "Iran purportedly has acted as an intermediary with North Korea to supply Syria with various forms of WMD and missile technology," said a Congressional Research Service report, "Iran: U.S. Concerns and Policy Responses."

   The report, issued Oct. 5, described the Obama administration's recent engagement with Syria as "means to wean Syria away from its alliance with Iran."

   However, the report predicted that such an effort will not likely succeed, saying, "Iran is a major investor in the Syrian economy, which attracts very little Western investment, and some believe the Iran-Syria alliance is not easily severed."

   U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton Wednesday singled out North Korea and Iran as nonproliferation policy failures, describing "the range and intensity of current nuclear proliferation challenges" as "alarming."

   "The international community failed to prevent North Korea from developing nuclear weapons. We are now engaged in diplomatic efforts to roll back this development," she said. "Iran continues to ignore resolutions from the United Nations Security Council demanding that it suspend its enrichment activities and live up to those international obligations. Thwarting the nuclear ambitions of North Korea and Iran is critical to shoring up the nonproliferation regime."

   The CRS report also said that Iran "is said to possess several midget submarines, possibly purchased assembled or in kit form from North Korea."

   It noted, "Iran claimed on Nov. 29, 2007, to have produced a new small sub equipped with sonar-evading technology."

   Iran is believed to be one of the biggest buyers of North Korean arms, with annual purchases of up to US$2 billion.

   Iranian officials were said to be on the scene when North Korea launched a long-range rocket and detonated its second nuclear device in April and May, respectively.

   Iran is also under U.N. sanctions for its nuclear programs, which the U.S. and its allies see as an effort to build nuclear weapons, although the Tehran government insists it is for producing electricity.

   Obama has issued an ultimatum to Iran to suspend enriching uranium for possible weapons production by the end of the year, warning of harsher sanctions.

   Obama said in a speech to the U.N. last month he was "committed to diplomacy" in resolving the North Korean and Iranian nuclear issues.

   "But if the governments of Iran and North Korea choose to ignore international standards -- if they put the pursuit of nuclear weapons ahead of regional stability and the security and opportunity of their own people, if they are oblivious to the dangers of escalating nuclear arms races in both East Asia and the Middle East -- then they must be held accountable," he said.

   hdh@yna.co.kr
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