London: North Korea is helping Iran in preparing for an underground nuclear test, similar to the one carried out by Pyongyang last year. 

North Korea has agreed to share with Iran all the information about the tests conducted by them last year as per a new understanding between the two nations, The Daily Telegraph said today (Jan 24, 2007).

"North Korea had invited a team of Iranian nuclear scientists to study the results of last October's underground test to assist Teheran's preparations to conduct its own possibly by the end of this year," a senior European defence official told the daily.

"The Iranians are working closely with the North Koreans to study the results of last year's North Korean nuclear bomb test," he said.

"We have identified increased activity at all of Iran's nuclear facilities since the turn of the year. All the indications are that the Iranians are working hard to prepare for their own underground nuclear test," the official said.

"The location of the proposed test site is unknown, but is likely to be located in a mountainous region where it is difficult for spy satellites to locate the activity," the report said.