Iran has stationed defence staff in North Korea since late October, apparently to strengthen cooperation in missile and nuclear development, Japan's Kyodo News agency reported today.
The report, citing a Western diplomatic source, came as North Korea said yesterday it would carry out its second rocket launch of 2012 between 10 and 22 December.
The Iranian mission, Kyodo said, is made up of four experts from Iran's Ministry of Defence and firms close to it.
Citing the source, it said they were staying at a military facility 85km from the North Korean border with China.
The two countries signed an agreement to cooperate in science and technology earlier this year.
North Korea has had close ties with Iran. Leaked US diplomatic cables from 2010 showed that US officials believe Iran has acquired ballistic missile parts from North Korea.
