WORLD / Asia-Pacific

North Korea, Iran celebrate 'special relationship'
(AP)
Updated: 2006-05-25 11:38

North Korea and Iran, locked in nuclear standoffs with the United States, celebrated their friendship and said their opposition to "global dominators" made their relationship stronger, the North's media reported Thursday.

The two countries, denounced by the U.S. as part of an "axis of evil," along with prewar Iraq, for their pursuit of weapons of mass destruction, marked their "friendship week" with various events in Tehran last week, the North's official Korean Central News Agency said.

"Calling the ties a special relationship, speakers at the opening ceremony said the (countries') acts and slogans of struggle to oppose global dominators and their struggle spirit aimed at safeguarding national dignity and independence are deepening the relations," KCNA said.

It didn't provide specifics, including who attended the ceremony.

North Korea and Iran have been major foreign policy irritants for the United States as they have resisted Washington-led international pressure to give up their nuclear ambitions.

The North and Iran established diplomatic ties in 1973.