TEHRAN, Iran, May 18 -- Cuban President Fidel Castro arrived in Tehran Tuesday for his first visit to the Islamic republic, which like his own country in under U.S. sanctions.
President Mohammad Khatami gave an official welcome to Castro at Tehran's Saad-Abad cultural complex, the official Islamic Republic News Agency reported.
"My visit to Iran for me and my nation is a great privilege," state-run television quoted Castro as saying. "I truly believe that the relations of the two countries will be stronger after this trip."
Castro's trip comes eight months after Khatami visited Cuba. Castro was acompanied by senior officials and businessmen.
Castro is also scheduled to meet with Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei, Majlis Speaker Mehdi Karroubi as well as other Iranian officials during his three-day trip. He is expected to visit a memorial to Ayatollah Khomeini, who founded the Islamic Republic.
The visit is aimed at strengthening political and economic ties between the two countries, IRNA said. The two sides are also expected to discuss increased cooperation within the Group of 77 nations and the Non-Aligned Movement, which they belong to. No documents are being signed, however.
Both countries are known for their anti-U.S. rhetoric.
"Castro is among few contemporary prominent figures in the world with a long record of revolutionary struggle against world hegemony, injustice and discrimination as well as his huge efforts for the establishment of a popular government in Cuba," IRNA said. "Cuba was among the first countries which welcomed the Islamic Revolution of Iran in 1979. Cuba with a population of 11 million is an importantly strategic country in the Caribbean Sea and a neighbor to the United States -- a common arch-foe of Iran and Cuba."
Castro will be awarded an honorary doctoral degree by an Iranian university as a token of acknowledgement for his political, scientific and cultural services, IRNA said.
Cuban medical teams are helping Iran with the production of a hepatitis B vaccines in the city of Karaj, west of Tehran. Production is expected to start late this year.
Castro flew to Tehran from Algeria. He will later visit Malaysia.NEWLN:
