TEHRAN – Simon Rodriguez Pedro, Cuban co-chairman of Iran-Cuba parliamentary friendship group, has called for expansion of ties between Iran and Cuba.

During a meeting with the Iranian ambassador to Havana Rashid Bayat-Mokhtari, Rodriguez pointed to the good relations between Iran and Cuba.

He also referred to the visit the Iranian parliamentary friendship group made to Havana, saying resistance is the common point between the Iranian and Cuban cultures, which can be used to expand ties, IRNA reported.

On U.S. pressures against Tehran and Havana and the U.S. withdrawal from the 2015 nuclear deal, Rodriguez said, “The U.S. economic terrorism goals against Iran and Cuba are illegal. That’s a conspiracy to dominate independent countries, for example Iran and Cuba.”

The Iranian ambassador, for his part, pointed to the 60 years of Cuba’s and 40 years of Iran’s resistance to the evil plots hatched by the U.S., saying despite the deceitful calls of the U.S. for negotiations, Washington’s actions regarding the nuclear deal proves that “the U.S. is not trustworthy.”

He also said European countries did not do anything special to safeguard Iran’s benefits under the deal in the one-year opportunity Tehran gave them, causing Tehran to gradually decrease its commitments to the deal.

However, Bayat-Mokhtari continued, if Iran’s interests are met, Tehran will go right back to its full JCPOA commitments.

MH/PA