The U.S. says that its new sanctions on North Korea will not be similar to those imposed on Iran.

State Department spokesman Philip Crowley told a regular news briefing that Iran and North Korea are two different countries, and the U.S. is not taking a “cookie-cutter” approach.

He added that Iran has resources while North Korea doesn’t, and the U.S. will apply measured sanctions against North Korea as it has done in the past

Crowley said that Washington will adopt tailored steps to help influence the thinking of the North Korean government and leadership.

The U.S. Congress passed a new, tougher set of sanctions on Iran, now known as the Comprehensive Iran Sanctions, Accountability and Divestment Act 2010, on June 24th. U.S. President Barack Obama signed the legislation on July first, which seeks to isolate Iran economically by sanctioning both American and foreign institutions that do business with Iranian energy companies.

Special Advisor for Nonproliferation and Arms Control Robert Einhorn said in a House hearing on Thursday that North Korean leaders don’t mind getting a policy of isolation from the U.S. and even believe that being isolated is the only way to ensure the future of the North Korean regime.

The special advisor added that such attitudes make it difficult for the U.S. to employ sanctions against the North.