North Korea plays US-China rivalry card to justify ‘irreversible’ nuclear status

As the Iran conflict wanes, analysts say Pyongyang is trying to gain support from Russia and China to pre-empt denuclearisation pressure 3 -MIN READ3 -MIN Listen Published: 8:00am, 16 Jun 2026Updated: 8:02am, 16 Jun 2026 North Korea’s latest spirited defence of its nuclear arsenal signals a strategy that goes beyond rejecting international calls to disarm and instead leans into mounting global superpower rivalry to legitimise its weapons build-up. The verbal offensive comes as North Korea could soon face renewed pressure to return to the negotiating table. Analysts say the winding down of the Iran conflict may allow Washington and its…