TEHRAN – The Cuban Ambassador to Tehran, Vladimir Andres Gonzalez Quesada, read a draft statement to Iranian journalists on Monday in which Cuba welcomes U.S. President Barack Obama’s move in opening a new chapter in ties between Washington and Havana but condemns the continued blockade of the island nation.

“A preliminary step has been taken… to normalize the bilateral ties by resuming diplomatic relations between Cuba and the United States, (and) in line with this, we welcome the U.S. president’s move on opening new chapter in the relations between the two countries after recognizing the effects of the sanctions on the Cuban people and asking for ending this policy in the Congress,” the ambassador told reporters while reading the statement.

The draft of the statement entitled “The Necessity to End Economic and Financial Sanctions Imposed by the United States against Cuba” is going to be read at the UN General Assembly on October 27.

The statement described the regulations set by the U.S. Treasury allowing travel to Cuba and the involvement of telecommunications firms in the country as a “positive step”. However it said such moves are not comprehensive enough.

It is possible for the U.S. president to make remarkable changes to lift sanctions without bringing the case to Congress, the statement said, citing the U.S. Treasury’s new regulation which allows the U.S. telecommunication corporations to be active in Cuba as an example.

“Although the two governments officially announced willingness to resume diplomatic ties in December 17, 2014, the sanctions against Cuba still remain,” the statement said which was read out at the Venezuelan embassy in Tehran.

It also called Obama’s move in declaring his decision to Congress to remove Cuba from the list of terrorism supporters as a “historic and fair” act.

However, the statement said “Cuba should have never been put on the list.”

“The U.S. Congress has not approved a bill to remove sanctions yet. Even many legislative actions have been presented to Congress to prevent the president from taking new actions in lifting sanctions,” the statement added.

However, the statement said, “The draft of the new resolution that we will present considers the new situation in ties between the U.S. and Cuba and welcomes resuming diplomatic relations and moving toward lifting the blockade.”

Part of the statement says the unfair and decades-long blockade of Cuba should come to an end. “The blockade of Cuba should be ended. This is an unfair, long-term and unilateral.”

Elsewhere, the statement highlighted the role of the international community in helping to remove sanctions against Cuba.

It also said the international support and solidarity with Cuba was very important in changing the U.S. behavior toward Havana.

----- Nicaraguan Ambassador: World is against sanctions

Nicaraguan Ambassador to Tehran Mario Barquero Baltodano also said that “the world is against sanctions”.

However, some governments do not seek to respect international law and go against the UN charters, the ambassador said in the press conference.

He also said that the Cuban government and people’s courage made the U.S. reestablish ties with Cuba; however, he expressed regret the sanctions still remain.

There is no doubt that Cuba can face challenges and achieve victories, he added.

Some other diplomats including the Venezuelan ambassador to Tehran and representatives from the Bolivarian Alliance for the Peoples of Our America - Peoples’ Trade Treaty (ALBA-TCP) also attended the conference.