Castro Visits IranCuban President Fidel Castro on Tuesday praised Iran for its struggles against imperialism and said his first visit to Iran would strengthen bonds between the two nations, both locked under unilateral U.S. sanctions.President Mohammad Khatami greeted Castro, who appeared at the formal welcome Tuesday in a navy suit and tie rather than his usual military attire, with a handshake. An honor guard stood in the sprawling gardens of the Saadabad Palace. "My visit to Iran for me and my nation is a great privilege," Iranian state-run television quoted Castro as saying. "I truly believe that the relations of the two countries will be stronger after this trip." On receiving Castro, who arrived in Tehran late Monday, Khatami referred to the Iranian revolution more than two decades ago that ousted the U.S.-supported shah. "Our nation has great affection for the people of Cuba, and Mr. Castro's presence here today comes after 22 years of waiting," Khatami said. Castro also referred to the revolution, saying that "while Iran was a regional gendarme (for the United States) before the revolution, it has played a leading role in fighting against imperialism over the past 22 years," the official Islamic Republic News Agency reported. Later Tuesday, Castro laid a wreath at the tomb of Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, the father of the Iranian revolution and a vitriolic critic of the United States. Although Khatami has embarked on a slow rapprochement with Washington, many Iranian officials still refer to the United States as the "Great Satan." Hotel lobbies often are adorned with signs that say, "Death to America." In Cuba, Castro regularly rails against the United States government. Earlier this month, he ridiculed President Bush and warned against U.S. "annexation" of Latin America through the creation of a hemispheric free-trade zone. The Cuban leader arrived in Iran from Algeria; he also was expected to visit Malaysia and Qatar. Cuba's communist government almost never announces Castro's travel schedule in advance because of security concerns. In recent years, the 74-year-old Cuban leader mainly has traveled to regional summits in Latin America and the Caribbean. Khatami met Castro once in 1998 and again last year when he stopped off in Havana on the way back from an oil summit in Venezuela. Castro's discussions in Iran were expected to focus on cooperation within the Group of 77 countries and the Non-Aligned Movement. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
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