Envoy: Iran, Cuba Hold Satisfactory Relations

Cuban Ambassador to Iran Vladimir Andrés González Quesada voiced his satisfaction over the status quo of diplomatic relations between Havana and Tehran, AVA Diplomatic reports.

“Currently the bilateral relations between Cuba and Iran are excellent. The Minister of Foreign Affairs Mohammad Javad Zarif and President Hassan Rouhani paid official visits to Havana in August and September 2016, respectively,” Quesada said.

The Cuban envoy reiterated that the two visits together with others carried out by Cuban authorities to Tehran helped to consolidate political and diplomatic relations between the two countries.

“I believe President Rouhani and the next Iranian government should continue their efforts to expand relations with Latin America in all spheres, including Cuba,” Quesada added.

In relevant remarks last Sunday, Iranian Ambassador to Cuba Kambiz Sheikh Hassani called for broadening of mutual cooperation between Tehran and Havana.

“Iran-Cuba relations need to reach their highest level in the political and diplomatic fields,” Sheikh Hassani said.

The Iranian ambassador reiterated that Tehran and Havana have always been trying to expand political and economic exchanges over past 37 years.

Sheikh Hassani pointed to Iran’s capacities for the expansion of mutual cooperation, and said, “Iran ranks first in the Middle East and seven in the world in nanotechnology.”

In relevant remarks in late August, Cuban Trade and Investment Minister Rodrigo Malmierca Diaz in a meeting with Zarif in Havana called for the broadening of trade and economic relations between the two countries.

During the meeting in the Cuban capital, Malmierca Diaz said that his country’s private sector is ready to invest in Iran’s economic projects.

“Havana is keen to develop relations with Tehran as a lasting partner and friend,” he added.

Zarif and Malmierca Diaz discussed ways of development of cooperation between Tehran and Havana in the fields of energy, banking, health, nanotechnology and biotechnology.

“Cuba is ready to help facilitate development of cooperation between Islamic Republic and the Latin American states,” Malmierca Diaz said.

Also in August, Iran and Cuba signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to boost the level of their economic and trade cooperation.

The cooperation document was signed on the sidelines of the first joint trade meeting of Iran and Cuba.

Iran attaches importance to the expansion of all-out ties with the Latin American countries.