NKorea Says Aims to Have World's Strongest Nuclear Force

This undated photo provided on Nov. 27, 2022, by the North Korean government shows North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, center, with his daughter, center right, waves to scientists and workers, following the launch of what it says a Hwasong-17 intercontinental ballistic missile, at an unidentified location in North Korea. (Korean Central News Agency/Korea News Service via AP)
This undated photo provided on Nov. 27, 2022, by the North Korean government shows North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, center, with his daughter, center right, waves to scientists and workers, following the launch of what it says a Hwasong-17 intercontinental ballistic missile, at an unidentified location in North Korea. (Korean Central News Agency/Korea News Service via AP)
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NKorea Says Aims to Have World's Strongest Nuclear Force

This undated photo provided on Nov. 27, 2022, by the North Korean government shows North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, center, with his daughter, center right, waves to scientists and workers, following the launch of what it says a Hwasong-17 intercontinental ballistic missile, at an unidentified location in North Korea. (Korean Central News Agency/Korea News Service via AP)
This undated photo provided on Nov. 27, 2022, by the North Korean government shows North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, center, with his daughter, center right, waves to scientists and workers, following the launch of what it says a Hwasong-17 intercontinental ballistic missile, at an unidentified location in North Korea. (Korean Central News Agency/Korea News Service via AP)

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un said his country's intends to have the world's most powerful nuclear force as he promoted dozens of military officers involved in the recent launch of a new ballistic missile, state media reported on Sunday.

Reuters said that the announcement comes after Kim inspected a Nov. 18 test of the Hwasong-17, North Korea's largest intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) and pledged to counter what he called US nuclear threats.

North Korea's "ultimate goal is to possess the world's most powerful strategic force, the absolute force unprecedented in the century," Kim said in the order promoting the officers, adding that building up the country's nuclear capabilities would reliably protect the dignity and sovereignty of the state and the people.

He described the Hwasong-17 as the "world's strongest strategic weapon" and said it demonstrated North Korea's resolve and ability to eventually build the world's strongest army.

North Korean scientists have made a "wonderful leap forward in the development of the technology of mounting nuclear warheads on ballistic missiles," and were expected to expand and strengthen the country's nuclear deterrent capabilities at an extraordinarily rapid pace, Kim was also quoted as saying.

Kim was pictured in photos posing with scientists, engineers and military officials involved in the test.

According to state media, those workers pledged to defend the "absolute authority" of the party and Kim, and vowed that "our missiles will fly vigorously only in the direction indicated" by Kim.

Kim’s daughter made a public appearance again. She’s only about 10, but her new, bold photos are deepening the debate over whether she’s being primed as a successor.

The daughter, believed to be Kim’s second child named Ju Ae and about 9 or 10 years old, was first unveiled to the outside world last weekend in state media photos showing her observing the North’s intercontinental ballistic missile launch the previous day with her parents and other older officials. The daughter wearing a white puffy coat and red shoes was shown walking hand-in-hand with Kim past a huge missile loaded on a launch truck and watching a soaring weapon.

On Sunday, the North’s official Korean Central News Agency mentioned her for the second time, saying she and Kim took group photos with scientists, officials and others involved in what it called the test-launch of its Hwasong-17 ICBM.



Iran: No Signs Trump Administration Is Serious about Holding Talks

Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei speaks to reporters in Tehran. (Iran Foreign Ministry)
Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei speaks to reporters in Tehran. (Iran Foreign Ministry)
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Iran: No Signs Trump Administration Is Serious about Holding Talks

Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei speaks to reporters in Tehran. (Iran Foreign Ministry)
Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei speaks to reporters in Tehran. (Iran Foreign Ministry)

Iran on Monday said it doubts the US was serious about conducting negotiations, asserting that it will defend its nuclear program and will not allow any compromise on the matter.

Speaking at a weekly press conference on Monday, Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei said the US statements cannot be taken seriously. “You cannot threaten Iran on one hand and claim to support dialogue on the other hand,” he said, according to the Mehr news agency.

US President Donald Trump has expressed an openness to a deal with Tehran to stop it from obtaining a nuclear weapon, but he said Israel will likely attempt to strike Iran’s nuclear facilities.

In response, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said last week that if Iran’s enemies strike a hundred nuclear facilities, his country will build a thousand other ones.

US intelligence agencies have recently concluded that Israel is considering “significant strikes” on Iran's nuclear facilities in the first six months of 2025, taking advantage of Iran’s weakened state.

Analysts say Tehran will be forced to negotiate with Trump, with the downfall of its key ally, the Assad regime in Syria, and the severe weakening of Hamas in Gaza and Hezbollah in Lebanon.

Last week, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met US Secretary of State Marco Rubio in Jerusalem and said their countries were determined to thwart Iran’s nuclear ambitions and its influence in the Middle East.

Asked whether the Trump administration supports an Israeli strike on Iran, Rubio told CBS News: “Israel will always have to act in what they believe is their national interest and their national defense.”

And whether Washington was reaching out to Tehran, he replied: “I will say that we don't have any outreach from Iran. We haven't seen any. There's been zero outreach or interest to date from Iran about any negotiated deal.”

Earlier, US National Security Advisor Michael Waltz said Trump is absolutely serious about preventing Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon, adding that “all options are on the table.”

Waltz told Fox News on Sunday that Trump is willing to engage in talks with Tehran only on condition that it fully abandon its nuclear program.

Responding to Waltz’ comments, Baghaei said: “Iran's peaceful nuclear program is ongoing, and has been for the last three decades, based on Iran's rights as a member in the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons... definitely we will not show any weakness in this regard.”

“Threatening others is a clear violation of international law and the United Nations Charter,” he added, saying that Israel and the US “cannot do anything” to hurt Iran.