Predicting unrest and saber rattling, former NATO Commander Adm. James Stavridis warns "buckle up" for "a long-range ballistic missile event" from North Korea and more Middle East aggression from Iran as Washington is distracted by impeachment.

"Bottom line, in both parts of the world, buckle up," Stavridis told Sunday's "The Cats Roundtable" host John Catsimatidis on 970 AM-N.Y. "Because both of these criminal regimes, both North Korea and Iran, are going to want to step out. They also, I'm close to this, John, recognize the turbulence in Washington right now, the distraction.

"The reality is that [impeachment] ties down the executive branch and makes the executive branch less capable of responding quickly to these kinds of crises when they develop," he added.

Stavridis expects Iran and Kim Jong Un to act up "over the holidays and into the early part of the new year."

"So, unfortunately, I predict he's going to revert to bad behavior," Stavridis said of Kim, who has made no progress talks with the U.S. as he seeks sanctions relief and rejects calls for denuclearization. "What I think we're going to see is a pretty long-range ballistic missile.

"And then he's going to say to the Trump administration: 'I'm going to resume a full-blown testing of long-range missiles. I'm going to increase my number of nuclear warheads.' He is going to try to force the president back to the bargaining table."

Similarly, Iran will lash out, he added.

"You'll see the Iranians revert also to bad behavior," Stavridis said. "In their case, look for them to attack another tanker in the Strait of Hormuz. Look for them to increase the number of centrifuges devoted to their once-defunct nuclear weapons program. Look to them to energize their terrorist allies."