TEHRAN — Iran’s Foreign Ministry has condemned US sanctions and pressure against Cuba, describing Washington’s measures against the Caribbean nation as violations of international law and the principles enshrined in the United Nations Charter.

In a statement issued on Tuesday, the ministry said that more than seven decades of US sanctions, pressure and intimidation targeting Cuba, its officials and public figures ran counter to international law and human rights principles.

The ministry also denounced an arrest warrant issued by authorities in the US state of Florida for former Cuban President Raúl Castro, calling it a “criminal and illegal act” and stressing the need to respect Cuba’s sovereignty, independence and right to self-determination.

Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier announced the warrant on Monday against Castro, who served as Cuba’s president from 2008 to 2018. The warrant accuses him of conspiracy to commit first-degree murder in connection with the 1996 downing of two civilian aircraft in Cuban airspace.

Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel rejected the move in a post on X, describing it as a politically motivated legal manoeuvre targeting both Castro and Cuba.

“This reprehensible action against the Army General this morning in a pathetic Miami circus, with an electoral backdrop, has no, nor will it ever have, the slightest legal sense and even less practical sense,” Díaz-Canel wrote.

He added that the move reflected Washington’s difficulties in justifying its blockade of Cuba and 'the collective punishment' of the Cuban people.

Iran’s Foreign Ministry called on the US government to be held accountable for the consequences of its policies, particularly their impact on the fundamental human rights of the Cuban people.

The statement reaffirmed Iran’s solidarity with Cuba and stressed that the Cuban people’s right to determine their own future must be respected.

The Iranian ministry’s remarks underscore Tehran’s opposition to unilateral sanctions and its support for Cuba’s sovereignty and independence amid renewed tensions over Washington’s measures against the country.