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North Korea said Feb. 10 that it has manufactured nuclear weapons for self-defense, posing a quandary for the United States and its nonproliferation initiative. The North Korean admission creates new opportunities for Iran's nuclear strategy.
Emboldened by Pyongyang, Iran likely will take advantage of the new circumstances by harshening its rhetoric regarding the United States and the nuclear issue, as well, by trying to increase its leverage with Washington by taking advantage of the U.S. focus on North Korea. Both North Korea and Iran want direct talks with Washington, not the six-party negotiations or talks via middlemen they have previously been offered. To achieve this goal, both countries have coupled hints about desiring talks with increasingly hostile language, hoping that the United States will be unable to ignore their threats. Both states hope that Washington will be forced into a foreign-policy dilemma regarding which country to deal with first.
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