TEHRAN -- Cuban Ambassador to Tehran Dario de Urra Torriente conferred here on Monday with the head of Iran-Cuba Parliamentary Friendship Group, Hassan Sobhani, on issues of mutual interests.

According to the cultural and public relations department of Majlis, at the meeting, Sobhani outlined the commonalties shared by Iran and Cuba including their struggle against the global arrogance and their revolutionary motives for fighting drug smuggling, poverty and illiteracy.

Expressing satisfaction with the ongoing trend of cultural, political and economic relations between the two countries, he expressed hope that the current cultural ties would further deepen in pace with bilateral parliamentary and diplomatic relations.

Sobhani, who is a Majlis representative from Damghan, said that ratification of laws pertaining to legal claims against the U.S. at the Majlis indicates the anti-arrogance spirit of Iranian officials.

The Cuban ambassador, for his part, referred to the growing trends in bilateral cooperation mainly in parliamentary area, and said Cuban officials favor further expansion of relation with the Islamic Republic of Iran.

Cuba and Iran have common enemy namely the U.S. which tries to impose sanctions against both countries as well as those third parties who wish to broaden ties with the U.S. in a bid to hurt trend of development in Iran and Cuba, he said.

Congratulating Iran on assuming the chairmanship of Group 77 as well as the year of 2001 designated as year of dialogue among civilizations, he expressed his country's readiness to further cooperate to materialize the plans at this year.

Extending an invitation to Iran's parliamentary friendship group to visit Cuba, he expressed hope that through exchange of such visits, bilateral relations will further broaden.

(IRNA)