▲ This photo, provided by AFP, shows Mojtaba Khamenei, Iran's new supreme leader. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)

(LEAD) N Korea-Iran

(LEAD) N. Korea supports Iran's choice of new supreme leader amid raging war in Middle East

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SEOUL, March 11 (Yonhap) -- North Korea said Wednesday it respects the Iranian people's election of their new supreme leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, who was named earlier this week to succeed his father, who was killed during U.S.-Israeli attacks on Tehran.

A spokesperson at the North's foreign ministry made the remarks after Khamenei, a son of late former leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, was named the country's new supreme leader by the Assembly of Experts on Sunday.

"With regard to the recent official announcement that Iran's Assembly of Experts elected the new leader of the Islamic Revolution, we respect the rights and choice of the Iranian people to elect their supreme leader," the spokesperson was quoted as saying by the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA).

The North's official also "strongly" denounced U.S.-Israel military operations against Iran as an "illegal" military attack.

"We express serious concern over and strongly denounce the acts of aggression by the U.S. and Israel that are destroying the regional peace and security foundations and escalating instability worldwide by mounting an illegal military attack on Iran," the spokesperson said.

On March 1, North Korea condemned the U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran as "gangster-like conduct," but it did not directly denounce U.S. President Donald Trump.

Since establishing diplomatic ties in 1973, North Korea and Iran are known to have close ties while under international sanctions for their weapons programs. Pyongyang and Tehran have also provided weapons to Russia to support its war against Ukraine.

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