The Iranian squad went on the offensive from the beginning although North Korea saw the support of about 30,000 fans at the Yanggakdo Stadium in Pyongyang.
The best chance came in the 40th minute, when striker Vahid Hashemian could have netted a goal on a pass from captain Mehdi Mahdavikia from the right.
After the break, Iran was from the promising performance it had displayed in the first half while North Korea became dominant much of the second half.
The only chance for Iran in the second half through Mehrzad Madanchi whose brilliant shot was also saved by the Korean goalkeeper in the 71st minute.
The draw leveled North Korea on 11 points with South Korea, which will meet the UAE on Saturday.
Saudi Arabia is third with 10 points while Iran is placed fourth with 7 points. The UAE is at the bottom of the group with a single point.
Iran has to beat the UAE and South Korea in its two remaining matches in order to keep its already faint hopes alive for securing a place in the 2010 World Cup.
Asia has four automatic qualifying berths, with the third-placed teams in the two groups playing off against each other for the right to take on Oceania zone victors New Zealand for a place in the finals.
Iran appeared in the 1978, 1998 and 2006 World Cups. It achieved its best result in France in 1998, when it beat the United States 2-1.
DPR Korea - Iran 0-0
World Cup Qualifier, Pyongyang, May Day Stadium
Goals: None
Iran: Rahmati - Kaebi, Aghili, Hosseini, Nosrati (87' Khalatbari) - Teymourian, P. Nouri - Mahdavikia, Karimi, Shojaei - Hashemian (66' Khalili / 71' Madanchi)
Bookings: Shojaei