Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi (R) meets with his Cuban counterpart, Bruno Rodriguez, in New York on September 21, 2024. (Photo by the Iranian Foreign Ministry)

United Nations, September 22 (RHC)-- Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has expressed Iran’s solidarity with Cuba in the face of illegal sanctions imposed by the United States on the Caribbean island nation.

Araghchi made the remarks during a meeting with his Cuban counterpart Bruno Rodriguez in New York on Saturday.  The top Iranian diplomat condemned the U.S. Congress’s unilateral and political move to put Cuba on a list of the so-called state sponsors of terrorism, saying the measure is the continuation of Washington’s hostile policies.

“As one of the victims of U.S. sanctions, Iran fully understands the conditions of the Cuban people and supports the country against U.S. bans,” he added.

Also in his remarks, Araghchi said that the crimes that Israel is committing in the Gaza Strip and Lebanon are acts of desperation caused by the regime’s failure in its genocidal war on the besieged Gaza.  He further renewed an invitation by Iran’s former President Ebrahim Raeisi for his Cuban counterpart to visit Iran and voiced Tehran’s readiness to expand relations with Havana in all fields.

Rodriguez welcomed the development of Iran-Cuba ties in the economic, academic and scientific areas, and the holding of a joint economic commission in the near future.  He also emphasized that Cuba backs the Islamic Republic against hostile US policies.

Iran and Cuba, which are both subject to unjust sanctions imposed by Washington, have historically maintained close relations and stood by each other in challenges posed by U.S. unilateralism.

The meeting between the Iranian and Cuban foreign ministers took place in New York on the sidelines of the 79th session of the United Nations General Assembly.

Speaking to reporters, Araghchi said that he had “constructive discussions” with his Kuwaiti and Bahraini counterparts, as well as the secretary general of the Persian Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), regarding stability and security in the region.

He also referred to his meetings with UN Senior Humanitarian and Reconstruction Coordinator for Gaza Sigrid Kaag, President of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) Mirjana Spoljaric and United Nations Special Envoy for Syria Geir Pedersen.

All sides in the meetings believed that Israel - despite all its crimes- has not achieved its declared objectives in Gaza, including defeating the Hamas resistance group and freeing captives, and simultaneously failed to garner international support for itself, he added.

The Iranian foreign minister also said that the support provided by the US and Western countries for the occupying regime is the main obstacle to a Gaza ceasefire.

During his meeting with Pedersen, Araghchi announced Iran’s support for UN efforts in Syria and underlined the need for the withdrawal of foreign forces and the start of the reconstruction process as soon as possible.

“Although the Zionist regime’s crimes in Lebanon are being committed out of desperation, they will not go unanswered,” he asserted.