Why has the United States and Israel focused on Iran instead of North Korea? Former IFS officer and ex-UN representative Manjeev Singh Puri explains that geography and regional influence make Iran a far more immediate strategic concern. Positioned at the heart of the Middle East, Iran’s nuclear ambitions, missile programme and backing of regional armed groups directly affect Israel and key US allies, unlike the relatively contained threat posed by Pyongyang.
Another crucial factor is energy security. Iran sits along the Strait of Hormuz, a vital oil transit chokepoint through which a significant portion of the world’s crude supply passes. Any instability there has immediate global economic consequences, making Iran central to international calculations.
Puri also points to Donald Trump’s legacy, particularly the US withdrawal from the 2015 nuclear deal, as a turning point that hardened positions and narrowed diplomatic space, pushing tensions closer to confrontation.