North Korea recently expressed respect for the Iranian people’s rights and choices following Iran’s election of Mojtaba Khamenei as the successor to Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was killed in a U.S. airstrike.
On Tuesday, a North Korean Foreign Ministry spokesperson stated during a press Q&A that the recent election of a new Islamic revolutionary leader in Iran has exposed the blatant interference of the U.S. and its allies in Iran’s internal affairs.
The spokesperson continued that they strongly condemn the aggressive actions of the U.S. and Israel, which have launched illegal military attacks on Iran, undermining regional peace and security and escalating global instability.
They further emphasized that any form of verbal threats or military actions that violate a country’s political system and territorial integrity, interfere in its domestic affairs, or openly advocate for regime change is unacceptable under any circumstances and must face worldwide condemnation and rejection.
On March 8, Iran’s constitutional body, the Assembly of Experts, officially elected Mojtaba as the third Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic of Iran. Mojtaba is known for his extreme anti-U.S. stance and close ties to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). The Donald Trump administration had previously voiced strong opposition to Mojtaba’s potential succession to power.
This marks the second time North Korea, traditionally considered an ally of Iran, has commented on the U.S. airstrike against Iran.
On March 1, a Foreign Ministry spokesperson issued a statement denouncing the U.S. and Israeli military operations against Iran as illegal and immoral acts of aggression and the most egregious violation of sovereignty. However, they refrained from directly criticizing U.S. President Trump, demonstrating a measured approach in their rhetoric.