What About a N. Korea Nuke Deal? Pyongyang Reacts

US officials wondering whether the landmark nuclear deal with Iran would make North Korea reconsider its own nuclear program have their answer: Absolutely not. Though North Korea, like its ally Iran, is sanctioned by the US, EU, and UN, a foreign ministry rep for Pyongyang says its development of nuclear weapons serves to deflect US pressure and "we do not have any interest at all on dialogue for unilaterally freezing or giving up our nukes," per Reuters. "We are clearly a nuclear power and nuclear powers have their own interests."

"It is not logical to compare our situation with the Iranian nuclear agreement because we are always subjected to provocative US military hostilities, including massive joint military exercises and a grave nuclear threat," the official continues. The US discussed North Korea giving up its nuclear programs in return for economic aid and security protections during talks in 2003, but they stalled in 2008. Pyongyang hasn't responded to US proposals in months, the Wall Street Journal reports. China guesses North Korea will have 20 nuclear warheads by the year's end. (More North Korea stories.)