[On May 25, North Korea, in a statement confirmed by Russia, said it had conducted a nuclear weapons test. The Russian Defense Ministry said the explosion in northeastern North Korea was that of an atomic bomb that ranged between 10 and 20 kilotons. North Korea also reported it had launched three short-range missiles the same day.]
The report, "Iran's Nuclear and Missile Potential," referred to North Korea's launch of its Unha-2 rocket on April 5. Two of three stages of the long-range rocket, which traveled 3,000 kilometers, reportedly performed successfully.
"The Unha-2 represents a significant advance in North Korean rocket technology," the report said. "The first stage shows that North Korea can now cluster four No-Dong rocket motors, providing four times the thrust and lift capacity of a single No-Dong motor, and demonstrates that North Korea has the technology that will eventually enable it to deliver larger payloads to longer ranges."
The report said the second stage of the Unha-2 showed that Pyongyang has developed multi-stage ballistic missiles with upper stages that are lighter and more efficient than those based on Soviet Scud technology. Such a capability, the report said, could be transferred to Iran for use in its missile program.
"Iran is reported to have obtained a great deal of technology and know-how from North Korea, for example, and the two countries' missile programs should not be treated as unconnected," the report said. "A missile based on the first two stages of the Unha-2 could in principle deliver a payload of 1,000-2,000 kilograms to a much farther range than any previous North Korean or Iranian missile."
The report said Iran would require up to eight years to develop a nuclear missile warhead. But the U.S.-Russian panel added that the Iranian timetable could be shortened, given North Korean or other foreign assistance.
"North Korea's test of the Unha-2 opens new possibilities for building larger ballistic missiles than the Shihab-3," the report said.
"Technology transfer from North Korea to Iran could help the Iranian ballistic missile program substantially. Every effort should be made to restrict the flow of foreign missile technologies to Iran and other states of concern, especially North Korea."
