North Korea is helping Iran prepare an underground nuclear test similar to the one Pyongyang carried out last year, the British newspaper the Daily Telegraph reported Wednesday.

Under the terms of a new understanding between the two countries, the Telegraph said, North Korea has agreed to share data and information derived from its test last October with Iran's nuclear scientists.

The newspaper quoted a senior European defense official as saying North Korea had invited a team of Iranian nuclear scientists to study the results of North Korea's underground nuclear test to help Iran prepare its own test, possibly by the end of 2007.

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According to the Telegraph, senior western military officials are concerned that North Korea's technical superiority will allow Iran to accelerate development of its nuclear weapon.

The European defense official told the Daily Telegraph that "the Iranians are working closely with the North Koreans to study the results of last year's North Korean nuclear bomb test."

He added that increased activity has been identified in Iranian nuclear facilities since the beginning of 2007.

"All the indications are that the Iranians are working hard to prepare for their own underground nuclear test," the official told the Telegraph.

The United Nations Security Council voted unanimously on December 23 to impose sanctions on Iran's trade in sensitive nuclear materials and technology in an attempt to stop uranium enrichment work that could produce material that could be used in bombs.

Tehran says it is determined to continue its nuclear work, which it says is meant only for producing electricity.

The West suspects Iran's atomic work is part of a veiled nuclear arms program.

Meanwhile, Iranian Defense Minister Mostafa Mohammad Najjar on Wednesday said that Tehran has received a Russian air defense missile system.

The announcement came as it launched three days of military maneuvers - its first since the United Nations Security Council imposed sanctions against it in late December.