Zarif meets with Cuban President
Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad-Javad Zarif met with Cuban President Raul Castro, where the two sides discussed boosting bilateral and international cooperation and the latest developments in Latin America and the Middle East.
The talks lasted for two hours.
Zaris who is in Havana for his Latin American tour met with Cuba's Vice President Ricardo Cabrisas as well.
During the meeting, the two sides discussed various domains including energy, sanitation and health, banking ties and holding joint economic commission in near future.
“The resistance of the Iranian and Cuban nations has left the hegemonic countries no other choice but compromise and renunciation of their hostile policies even in their words,” Zarif said in the opening ceremony of Iran-Cuba joint economic conference in Havana on Monday.
He added that steadfastness of the Iranian and Cuban people is a “valuable asset” to improve cooperation between the two countries’ state and private sectors.
Iran and Cuba have both been the target of various US sanctions over the past decades.
However, sanctions against Iran over its nuclear program were stipulated to be removed under last year’s agreement between Tehran and the P5+1 group of countries, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), which went into effect on January 16.
Meanwhile, despite a thaw in diplomatic relations between Washington and Havana, a 55-year embargo on Cuba still remains in place. The two countries became ideological foes soon after the 1959 revolution that brought Fidel Castro to power and their ties remained hostile even after the end of the Cold War.
The top Iranian diplomat further emphasized that Tehran and Havana should make use of the appropriate opportunity created following the removal of sanctions against Iran to strengthen relations.
“Iran and Cuba enjoy broad interaction on political and international scenes and their cooperation must be improved in the economic sector,” Zarif said.
He noted that the high-ranking politico-economic delegation accompanying him in his six-nation tour of Latin America indicates that the “Islamic Republic attaches great importance to its deep and strong ties with Cuba and the Latin American countries.”
He said Tehran and Havana can boost cooperation, adding that this would be beneficial to Latin American countries.
Earlier on Monday, the Iranian foreign minister paid tribute to Jose Marti, Cuba’s national hero, and laid a wreath at his memorial monument.
Heading a 120-strong politico-economic delegation, Zarif arrived in the Cuban capital Sunday night as the first leg of his official Latin America tour, which will also take him to Nicaragua, Ecuador, Chile, Bolivia and Venezuela.
END