Nargess Moballeghi: Two revolutions in two parts of the world for two different reasons. . . . The Cuban Revolution led by Fidel Castro overthrowing Fulgencio Batista in 1959 and the Islamic Revolution led by Ayatollah Khomeini overthrowing the Shah twenty years later. Though ideologically they couldn’t have been further apart, they have a similarity that is still true today: America.
Hamid Shahrabi, Hearts of Latin America: Iran and Cuba, both countries, are on the forefront of the struggle against the domination of the United States government. Both countries have championed the fight for the independence and sovereignty of their nations. Both countries have inspired other nations to fight for their own rights.
Nargess Moballeghi: And both were sanctioned by the US within twelve months after their respective revolutions. Cuba is an old-timer. It has faced American sanctions for half a century and faced off eleven American presidents. Iran has had over thirty years of sanctions reinforced by six American heads of state.
Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez: Cuba condemns the sanctions by hegemonic powers against Iran. The sanctions against Cuba are also unilateral and have inflicted $700 billion of damage to our economy. They are flagrant violations of human and civil rights, but they are a failed policy that has no future.
Nargess Moballeghi: That’s Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez speaking on his first trip to Tehran. Top issues in the Middle East, Lebanon and Afghanistan, are discussed, as well as top Latin American issues, like Honduras and Ecuador. President Barack Obama has criticized both Cuba and Iran in March, just a few days apart, in eerily similar comments: he said both countries were showing clenched fists to America and criticized both countries for not taking the path to a new era. But, for Cuba and Iran, a new era has already begun. In Latin America, there’s been a spread of left-wing, anti-imperialist governments — Venezuela, Ecuador, and Bolivia — and in the Middle East the rise of Syria, Hezbollah, and Hamas. The Cuban and Islamic Revolutions are seen as pivotal for the growth of both movements. And the two countries are increasing economic and development ties, too.
Gloria La Riva, ANSWER Coalition: I think it’s encouraging that both countries have engaged in economic, political, and social engagement and agreements. Very, very important. With the US power, it’s necessary for countries in the Third World to unite and defend each other, in cooperation and solidarity.
Nargess Moballeghi: Cuba’s Foreign Minister will also meet the head of the Iran-Cuba Commission and the President while in Tehran. Iran and Cuba are two very different countries in two very different regions, but they share similar experiences like long-time US sanctions, and in their respective regions they are seen as heavyweights of growing movements to oppose US interventionist policies. That cemented the relationship between the two that continues to grow. Nargess Moballeghi, Press TV, Tehran.
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Cf.
“Cuban Foreign Minister Reaffirms Cuba’s Support for Iran’s Peaceful Nuclear Program” (Cuba TV, 9 October 2010)
Nargess Moballeghi‘s report was released by Press TV on 10 October 2010.
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