The Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei says Iran and North Korea have common enemies because arrogant powers do not tolerate independent countries.
In a meeting with Chairman of North Korea's Presidium of the Supreme People's Assembly (SPA) Kim Yong-Nam on Saturday, Ayatollah Khamenei said pressures, sanctions and threats must not weaken the nations' resolve to move towards high objectives.
"The Islamic Republic of Iran is quite determined in its movement toward its lofty goals," Ayatollah Khamenei added.
Referring to Tehran and Pyongyang's common stance on many issues, the Leader said, "Iran and North Korea have common enemies because arrogant powers do not tolerate independent states."
Kim, for his part, said expanding ties with Iran was one of the strategic policies of North Korea. The North Korean official arrived in Iran to take part in the 16th Non-Aligned Movement Summit in Iran's capital, Tehran.
Iran assumed the rotating presidency of NAM for a three-year term during the 16th NAM Summit which wrapped up in Tehran on Friday.
Over 100 countries sent representatives to the NAM summit, which kicked off last Sunday with a two-day expert-level meeting in the Iranian capital, followed by a foreign ministerial meeting that ended on Wednesday.
NAM is an international organization with 120 member states that is not formally aligned with or against any major power bloc.