North Korean support for Iran during the Iran–Iraq War

It provided, to Iran, both indigenously produced Soviet-standard equipment, as well as acting as an intermediary for both China and the Soviet Union.

Sales ended only after North Korea's nuclear test,[2] in October 2006, caused the passage of United Nations Security Council Resolution 1718 embargo.

[3] North Korea's relations with the rest of the world, even with ostensibly close allies such as China and the Soviet Union, vary over time.

A USD $18 million shipment of SA-7 surface-to-air missiles, withdrawn from Polish inventory at Soviet orders, went to Iran in December 1986.

North Korea appeared as the source of record for many arms transfer that actually came from the Soviet Union or China, but for which those major powers wanted deniability.

In yet other cases, North Korea would ship Soviet- or Chinese-designed piece of equipment that it built, under license, in its own factories.

As a result, Iran tended to use tanks as artillery or in support of infantry, rather than in independent maneuver actions.

Tanks, sold primarily to the Middle East in the early 1980s, made up the bulk of North Korean sales, principally to Iran.

[7] In 1987, Iran bought the 170 mm KOKSAN self-propelled cannon from North Korea, where it was made, possibly from older Soviet tubes.

[9] Iran used its supplies of U.S. antitank guided missiles (ATGM) against Iraqi armor, but managed a very poor hit probability, and soon depleted its stocks.

Even with the slower pace, Iran experienced shortages of U.S. missiles, and bought Soviet-designed 9K11 Malyutka (NATO reporting name AT-3 Sagger) ATGMs and other weapons from North Korea, China, Syria and Libya.

A self-propelled version is the ZSU-57-2, which was replaced by the highly regarded radar-controlled 23 mm ZSU-23-4 "Shilka", known to be part of the Kharg Island air defenses.

Gantzer, acting for Praetor Trading, posted, a $100,000 performance bond using the London branch of Commerzbank A.G., a West German bank.

A Swiss firm, C. Wuppesahl A.G., insured the shipment, and the Union Bank of Switzerland issued a letter of credit for $18,640,000 to Iran.

The North Korean Embassy in Vienna end user certificate stating the weapons were destined for Pyongyang.

The Wisconsin Project on Arms Control said the first shipment came from North Korea,[12] but Cordesman said the original ones came from Libya.