The former President of Cuba, General Raul Castro Ruz, received Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi yesterday, Thursday, in the capital, Havana.

Castro thanked the Iranian government for its support in the war Cuba waged in the face of the unjust economic, commercial, and financial embargo imposed by the United States on the biggest Antilles island, stressing that both countries stood strong for their independence and sovereignty.

El General de Ejército, Raúl Castro Ruz, líder de la Revolución cubana, recibió también este jueves al Presidente iraní Ayatollah Seyed Ebrahim Raisi. #Cuba 🇨🇺 #Irán 🇮🇷 pic.twitter.com/IfdhbX3wyH

— Presidencia Cuba 🇨🇺 (@PresidenciaCuba) June 15, 2023

In the friendly meeting, the two leaders stressed the willingness of both Cuba and Iran to pursue strengthening relations of friendship and cooperation, as well as high-level political dialogue.

The Iranian President was accompanied during the meeting by Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian.

On his part, Cuba's Minister of Foreign Affairs, Bruno Rodriguez Parrilla, attended this meeting alongside Castro.

— خبرگزاری تسنیم 🇮🇷 (@Tasnimnews_Fa) June 15, 2023

بازدید رئیسی از مرکز مهندسی ژنتیک هاوانا

رئیس‌جمهور در این بازدید در گفتگو با مدیران این مرکز در جریان فعالیت‌ها، اقدامات و حوزه‌های تحقیقاتی آن شامل «زیست پزشکی (تحقیق و توسعه در زمینه واکسن‌ها و محصولات بیودارویی)‌، بیوتکنولوژی گیاهی،‌ آنزیم‌های صنعتی و ‌بیوتکنولوژی حیوانات»… https://t.co/JYkeZH1DCI pic.twitter.com/CETTKQUMpC

— خبرگزاری تسنیم 🇮🇷 (@Tasnimnews_Fa) June 15, 2023

This comes after the Iranian President met with his Cuban counterpart Miguel Diaz-Canel, earlier yesterday, after which Iran and Cuba signed 6 agreements in an effort to strengthen bilateral cooperation in different fields. 

The signed agreements include comprehensive cooperation in foreign relations and political consultations, agreements in the field of customs, the exchange of information, and the development of cadres, in addition to the field of communications and technology, and an agreement between the ministries of justice of the two countries.

The Iranian President said Iran and Cuba's cooperation, which is on the path toward progress, can create hope in independent nations and despair in hegemons.

He also proposed forming a joint commission on technological cooperation between the two countries for complementary cooperation in these fields.

Stressing that relations between Iran and Cuba have changed since the victory of the Islamic Revolution, he said, "In the years since the victory of the Islamic Revolution, the relations between the two countries have always been developing, and especially in recent years and during the coronavirus pandemic, constructive cooperation has taken place."

"Iran is ready to cooperate with all countries, but if a country acts against the interests of our nation, we will stand against it," he said, highlighting the common grounds between Iran and Cuba, including in the fight for independence.

Raisi referred to the resistance of the Iranian nation against sanctions and extensive pressures, adding, "Iran considers relations with independent countries as one of the ways to tackle sanctions."

He stated that his visit to Cuba and the Cuban President's visit to Tehran in the near future can be effective steps in the course of developing relations between the two countries, adding that "the activation of the Joint Commission of Economic Cooperation of the two countries can provide faster solutions for the implementation of agreements."

Raisi stressed that the US and bullying powers cannot do anything against independent nations, saying, "Our cooperation in the path toward progress can create hope in independent nations and despair in hegemons."

On his part, Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel welcomed Raisi's visit, saying, "Your visit to Cuba is meaningful and the proof of the existence of a set of common values and views between the two countries".

"The three countries that you chose as destination for your regional trip have a meaningful relationship with the Iranian Revolution", he continued, adding, "I am confident that your visit to Cuba will be a turning point in the history of relations between the two countries."

Es un honor y una enorme satisfacción recibirlo en #Cuba, aseguró el Presidente @DiazCanelB a su homólogo iraní, Ayatollah Seyed Ebrahim Raisi, durante las conversaciones oficiales de este jueves, minutos después del recibimiento en el Palacio de la Revolución. pic.twitter.com/80tzHExAkL

— Presidencia Cuba 🇨🇺 (@PresidenciaCuba) June 15, 2023

The Iranian President and his accompanying delegation arrived in Havana on Wednesday night, after visiting Venezuela and Nicaragua as part of their Latin America tour.

Iran's President Ebrahim Raisi is in Cuba, where he met with President Díaz-Canel and signed 6 agreements, to deepen economic and political ties between the countries and expand trade.

This came after Raisi also visited Venezuela and Nicaragua and signed more agreements
🇮🇷🇨🇺🇻🇪🇳🇮 https://t.co/JZKpxdMNSw pic.twitter.com/1zIZbQFH0z

— Ben Norton (@BenjaminNorton) June 15, 2023

In a post on his Twitter account on Thursday, Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian described Iran and Cuba as pioneers of the development of regional convergence.

He said Iran and Cuba can provide opportunities for each other for presence in the coalitions formed in the two sides of the world.

کوبا آخرین مقصد ازسفر منطقه‌ای دکتررئیسی به آمریکای لاتین است.
🇮🇷و🇨🇺از پیشگامان توسعه‌ همگرایی منطقه‌ای هستند که می‌توانند فرصت حضور یکدیگر در ائتلاف‌های شکل‌گرفته در دو سوی کره‌زمین را فراهم سازند.
تمرکز همکاری‌ در حوزه‌های بیوتکنولوژی، فنی، پزشکی و انرژی است. pic.twitter.com/J7g9DXe9DE

— H.Amirabdollahian امیرعبداللهیان (@Amirabdolahian) June 15, 2023

“The focus of cooperation (between Iran and Cuba) would be on biotechnological, technical, medical and energy fields,” Amir-Abdollahian stated.

This comes after the Iranian President concluded a visit to Nicaragua during which he signed a number of agreements with his Nicaraguan counterpart Daniel Ortega.

Addressing members of parliament in Nicaragua, Raisi highlighted that the persistence of independent countries in Latin America and elsewhere has contributed to the ongoing power transition in the world order and the free fall of the United States.

"The domineering powers want to force their selfish interests on the nations, and that's why we should question why America and some Western countries, who pretend to care about human rights, freedom, and democracy, don't respect the real votes of the nations in Palestine, Lebanon, Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria and Latin America," he said.

Raisi’s first stop in his Latin America tour was in Venezuela, where he met with Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, and several agreements were signed.

In comments before commencing his tour on Monday, Raisi hailed the strategic ties between Iran and independent countries in Latin America, saying what the Islamic Republic has in common with them is the spirit of resistance against the hegemonic powers.