Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian has criticized the United States’ pattern of imposing economic sanctions on other nations, particularly Iran and Latin American states, during a meeting with his Cuban counterpart, Bruno Rodriguez Parrilla, on 5 February in Havana, Tasnim News Agency reported.

“The US policy of imposing unilateral sanctions on other countries and bullying is doomed to fail,” the foreign minister said.

“The US and some other western countries pursue the hybrid policy of imposing sanctions and intervention in other countries’ affairs through stoking and encouraging riots in independent countries of the world,” he added.

The Iranian top diplomat added that political ties with Cuba are of “great importance” for his country and considered it “a friend, brother, and strategic ally.”

Amir-Abdollahian described relations with Cuba as “firm, consistent and historic” and assured that there is a “great variety of issues” on the bilateral agenda.

Meanwhile, Bruno Rodriguez reiterated Cuba’s position of “solidarity in the face of attempts at destabilization and interference.”

The Cuban foreign minister expressed his “profound” gratitude for Tehran’s support in the Cuban struggle against the blockade imposed by the United States.

On 3 February, the Iranian foreign minister met with Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro during an official visit to Caracas, where he said Iran is set to start work on a major overhaul of Venezuela’s largest oil refinery complex, the Paraguana Refining Center, in the coming weeks.

According to Reuter’s sources, state-owned Petroleos de Venezuela (PDVSA) and the National Iranian Oil Refining and Distribution Company (NIORDC) will sign a €460 million contract to overhaul the Paraguana refinery complex in the coming weeks, which can produce 955,000 barrels per day (bpd).

Last May, a unit of NIORDC signed a €110 million contract with PDVSA to repair Venezuela’s El Palito refinery, the smallest in the country with a capacity of 146,000 bpd.

In recent years, Iran has proven instrumental in helping Venezuela overcome punitive US sanctions that have ravaged its oil sector, allowing Caracas to end its reliance on US refinery technology and helping the country boost its damaged economy.