Iranian President Ebrahim Raeisi (center left) meets with his Cuban counterpart Miguel Diaz-Canel as he attends the joint meeting of the high-ranking delegations of the two countries in Havana, Cuba, on June 15, 2023. (Photo by President.ir)

Havana, June 16 (RHC)-- Iranian President Ebrahim Raeisi praises the growing cooperation between the Islamic Republic and Cuba as a source of hope for independent nations and a cause of frustration for global imperialist powers.  Raeisi made these comments in Havana on Thursday during a joint meeting of the senior delegations of Iran and Cuba.

He asserted that the United States and other bullying powers are powerless against independent nations. “Our cooperation in the path to progress can create hope in independent nations and despair in imperialists.”

The Iranian president suggested the establishment of a joint commission on technological cooperation between the two countries.  Raeisi paid tribute to Cuba's resilient and steadfast people and their national heroes. He also honored the memory of all those who gave their lives for the independence and freedom of the nation.

The Iranian president noted that ties between Tehran and Havana improved significantly after the 1979 Islamic Revolution, saying: “In the years following the victory of the Islamic Revolution, the relations between the two countries have been enhancing, and constructive mutual cooperation has taken place in recent years and especially during the coronavirus pandemic.”

Senior Iranian and Cuban officials sign six cooperation MoUs during Iran’s Raeisi’s visit to Havana.
He stated that Iran and Cuba have substantial common grounds, such as the struggle for independence, emphasizing, “Iran is ready to cooperate with all countries, but if a country acts against the interests of our nation, we will oppose it.”

President Raeisi then referred to the resistance of the Iranian nation against sanctions and the US's so-called maximum pressure campaign, saying, “Iran considers relations with independent countries as one of the ways to counter sanctions.”

The Iranian president expressed hope that mutual visits in the near future could effectively help develop relations between the two countries,” adding that activating the Joint Commission of Economic Cooperation can provide faster solutions for implementing the agreements already signed between the two sides.

For his part, Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel hailed the Iranian counterpart's visit as "meaningful" and a sign of "common values and views" between the two states.  “The three countries that you chose as the destination for your regional trip have a meaningful relationship with the Iranian Revolution. I am confident that your visit to Cuba will be a turning point in the history of relations between the two countries,” he said.

Heading a high-ranking delegation, Raieis arrived in Havana on Wednesday evening local time as the third and final destination of his first tour to Latin America. Earlier, he had visited Venezuela and Nicaragua. The Iranian delegation departed Havana for Tehran on Thursday evening local time.

Prior to his departure from Havana, Raeisi also held talks with former Cuban president and one of the leaders of the Cuban Revolution Raúl Castro.   During the meeting, Raeisi emphasized the importance of solidarity and cooperation among independent countries against imperialist powers, especially in light of recent developments in the international arena and the shift of the world order to a multilateral system.

The Iranian president praised Cuba's achievements in the field of medical sciences and expressed the need for enhancing bilateral ties between Tehran and Havana in various domains, such as economy, technology, biotechnology, medicine, pharmaceuticals, and vaccine production.

Raeisi also lauded the Cuban nation's and government's steadfastness and freedom-seeking spirit in the face of harsh and unilateral US sanctions, condemning the long-standing punitive measures against the country and blatant violations of Cuban people’s rights by the self-proclaimed champions of human rights.

Castro, for his part, commended the revolutionary struggles of the Iranian nation and their 44 years of resistance against arrogant and imperialist powers, saying: “The era of unilateralism is over and we are moving toward multilateralism.”