Illicit nuclear material is allegedly continuing to be stockpiled in North Korea on behalf of Iran (so that Iran does not default on the 2015 nuclear deal).

The Trump administration is highly concerned about North Korea, and especially its relationship with Iran.

The head of North Korea’s parliament landed in Iran a few days ago. The purpose of the 10-day visit is to boost relations between the two countries.

It is presumed that North Korea is sharing its nuclear know-how and progress with the Iranian regime, and that it is assisting it with boosting its weapons program. Their relationship goes far back.

A senior US official has said that the Trump administration is keeping a close watch on the two countries and is ready to act if and when necessary. The threat is not new, but it has stepped up a notch following recent developments.

Both regimes are irrational and the Trump administration is starting to realise this. Instead of trying to reason with the two regimes, the official said that the Trump administration will now just act. The official also indicated that Trump will stop, in whatever way he can, Iran from taking the same route as North Korea.

The 2015 Iran nuclear deal is one of the contributing factors to the gravity of the situation with regards to Iran. It was a very badly-negotiated deal, led by former President Barack Obama, that left numerous loopholes open for the regime to exploit. It also failed to address several issues that should have been dealt with instead of being ignored – the horrific state of human rights in the country, for a start.

The nuclear deal freed up a large amount of cash for Iran as sanctions were lifted. It is likely that Iran will be a willing buyer for North Korea’s nuclear material. This cannot be ignored.

United Nation’s Ambassador Nikki Haley called on the UN Security Council to consider a strong response to North Korea. She said that Kim Jong Un is “begging for war” and although the US does not want to enter a war, it may not have a choice.