Iran condemns US renaming of Cuba as ‘state sponsor of terrorism’

Iran has strongly condemned the United States’ designation of Cuba as a “state sponsor of terrorism,” expressing solidarity with the Latin American country.

“This claim that Cuba has cooperated with Venezuela in the area of terrorism, like the Americans’ other baseless claims, arises from their disgusting habit of leveling phony accusations against their opponents,” Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Saeed Khatibzadeh said on Tuesday.

He said officials in the failed regime of outgoing US President Donald Trump — who over the past four years turned into a source of tension in the world and had no success except destroying international achievements— were continuing unilateral measures and harboring grudges against other countries even in their final days in office.

Khatibzadeh said the terrorist US regime had to be reminded that, as an active member of the United Nations (UN) and a pioneer in the fight against imperialism, Cuba was entitled to exercise its sovereignty and was free to choose which countries it wished to have relations with.

He warned the United States against interfering in the internal affairs of Cuba.

The official called out the double standard in the anti-Cuba move by the US, which has engaged in a terror operation to assassinate Iranian Lieutenant General Qassem Soleimani and has sponsored Daesh and other terrorist groups.

He reiterated the Islamic Republic’s determination to consolidate relations with Cuba.

The Trump administration announced on Monday — just nine days before the defeated Republican president leaves office — that it was returning Cuba to the US list of “state sponsors of terrorism,” a move that could complicate any efforts by the incoming Joe Biden administration to revive former President Barack Obama’s détente with Havana.

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said Cuba was being blacklisted for “repeatedly providing support for acts of international terrorism” by harboring US fugitives as well as Colombian rebel leaders.

Pompeo also cited Communist-ruled Cuba’s support for Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro.

Cuba’s Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez condemned the US’s “hypocritical and cynical” move, describing it as political opportunism.