Iran, DPRK call for expansion of ties

TEHRAN - The Islamic republic of Iran and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) called on Saturday for the expansion of bilateral ties.

During a meeting with the ceremonial leader of the DPRK, Kim Yong Nam, Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said that Iran and the DPRK enjoy high capacity for the expansion of bilateral relations, the semi-official Mehr news agency reported.

Khamenei referred to common positions of Iran and the DPRK in a number of areas and said that in the move towards the supreme objectives, nations should withstand pressure, threats and sanctions.

Kim, president of the Presidium of the DPRK Supreme People's Assembly, for his part, said that the expansion of ties with Iran is among the strategic policies of his country, according to Mehr.

Also on Saturday, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, in a separate meeting with the DPRK leader, expressed his gratitude to Kim for partaking in the 16th Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) summit which concluded Friday, the official IRNA news agency reported.

Like Iran, the DPRK is also under the pressure of the arrogant powers, Ahmadinejad said, adding that the arrogant powers do not want any country to be independent, powerful and advanced, according to the report.

The Iranian president said that the two countries have many common grounds to cooperate and can help each other to grow and resist the arrogant powers.

For his part, the DPRK leader said that the successful hosting of the NAM summit in Tehran would have great impact on the development of the NAM and its objective of establishing new order in the world, said IRNA.

The relations between Iran and the DPRK have been enhanced in the past years and the DPRK emphasizes the expansion of all-out ties with the Islamic republic, said the DPRK leader.

On Saturday, IRNA reported that Iran and the DPRK signed a document on expansion of mutual cooperation in scientific, academic and technological know-how.

The document covers various issues such as conducting research studies, exchanging university students and researchers, setting up joint laboratories, sabbatical studies, exchanging technology of information, energy, environment, sustainable development, agriculture and food stuff, said IRNA.

The document was signed between Iran's Science and Technology Minister, Kamran Daneshjoo and the DPRK Foreign Minister Pak Ui Chun in the presence of Ahmadinejad and Kim.

Kim attended the NAM summit held on August 30-31 in Tehran and presented a speech.

In his remarks on Thursday, the DPRK leader criticized the recent joint military exercise of the United States and South Korea in the Korean Peninsula, saying the exercise pushes the Korean Peninsula to the brink of war.