TEHRAN Cuban leader Fidel Castro arrived in Tehran Tuesday for a three-day official visit. While in the country he is to discuss expansion of Tehran-Havana relations and latest international developments as well as avenues to promote objectives of the Group of 77 countries and the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) with officials of the Islamic Republic.

Castro, who is heading a high-ranking politico-economic delegation to Iran, will meet the Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei and President Mohammad Khatami.

In addition to bilateral ties, talks will focus on ways of further expanding both countries' economic relations. The eighth Iran-Cuba Joint Commission session is to open soon in Havana. Iran has opened a $10 million credit pipeline to Cuba through its Export Promotions Bank to meet Cuba's requirements for Iranian products such as thread, spare parts and ceramics.

Cuba has enjoyed great successes under the Castro regime despite sanctions imposed by the U.S. It is currently enjoying one of the world's highest standards in education, literacy and health. But, of course, its close relations with the former Soviet Union and the latter's allies have influenced to a great extent its state of affairs and relations with other countries. Nonetheless, even after the breakdown of the Soviet Union Castro did not leave his stances vis-a-vis the U.S., and Cuba's defiance of U.S. imperialistic policies remains as strong as ever.

Cuba-Iran common aspirations have been main factors in the two countries' relations. Both reject domination by any country and their political cultures revolve around this basic policy.

Castro's visit to Iran is to send a message to independent countries of the world that both countries will never accept the idea of a superpower, and, furthermore, can resist domination by any superpower through cooperation in various fields.