North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has said his country is prepared to supply missiles to Iran if Tehran requests them, issuing a stark warning that “one missile is enough to erase Israel”.
The remarks come in the wake of the joint Israeli and US attacks on Iran, which Pyongyang has condemned as illegal and as a violation of Iranian sovereignty.
According to analysis cited by The Diplomat, North Korea views the escalating conflict not only as another example of US military pressure against adversarial regimes, but also as an attack on a long-standing diplomatic and military partner.
Shift in Pyongyang’s tone
Only two weeks earlier, during the Workers’ Party congress in Pyongyang, Kim Jong Un had signalled a willingness to open dialogue with US President Donald Trump. However, the US–Israeli strikes on Iran appear to have shifted Pyongyang’s position once again.
On March 1, less than 24 hours after the attacks began, North Korea issued an official statement addressing the situation. The statement was attributed to an unnamed spokesperson from the country’s foreign ministry, a move that analysts say leaves room for stronger messages from the leadership if needed.
In its statement, Pyongyang outlined several key points.
First, it described the Israeli–US strikes on Iran as an illegal act of aggression and one of the most severe violations of sovereignty. Second, it argued that the attacks were predictable given what it described as Washington’s hegemonic behaviour and activities in the region. Third, North Korea condemned what it called the abuse of military power and the violation of international law. Fourth, the statement claimed that the United States has played an increasingly destructive role over the past year in undermining global peace and stability. Finally, Pyongyang said that the countries involved in the region must correctly identify the aggressors in the conflict and fulfil their responsibility to restore peace and stability in the Middle East.
“If Iran requests missiles, we will send them”
Hours after the initial statement, Kim Jong Un himself issued a stronger message of support for Tehran, declaring that North Korea stands ready to provide missiles to Iran for use against Israel if requested.
In a comment that shocked many observers internationally, Kim said that “one missile is enough to erase Israel”, highlighting what he described as the destructive potential of North Korea’s nuclear and ballistic arsenal.
Strategic risks and opportunities for Pyongyang
Direct North Korean involvement in the conflict by supplying military equipment to Iran would carry both risks and potential benefits for the Kim regime.
According to The Diplomat, one potential advantage lies in the impact on Russia’s wartime supply chains. Both Iran and North Korea have served as important suppliers of military equipment supporting Russia’s war effort in Ukraine, including missiles, drones and ammunition.
If Iran is forced to use much of its arsenal for its own war effort, this could create a supply gap that North Korea may be willing to fill. In that scenario, the Iran–Israel–US conflict could increase Russia’s reliance on Pyongyang, strengthening North Korea’s leverage over Moscow.
Questions over Russia’s role
At the same time, the crisis also highlights potential risks for North Korea, particularly regarding the reliability of Russia as a security partner.
Both Iran and North Korea have strengthened formal ties with Moscow in recent years. North Korea concluded a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership Treaty with Russia in June 2024, while Iran signed a similar agreement in January 2025.
So far, however, Moscow has limited its response to the current conflict to diplomatic condemnation of the attacks, stating only that it remains in “constant communication” with Iran’s leadership.
Russia’s reluctance to offer concrete military support beyond political statements has already prompted claims that Tehran has effectively been left without meaningful backing from its ally.