In a statement released on Saturday, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Iran said it “strongly condemns the continued interference of the US ruling authorities in Cuba’s internal affairs, illegal sanctions, provocative actions, political pressure, and military threats against this country.”

The statement noted that US economic and trade sanctions imposed on Cuba since 1960 following the Cuban Revolution constitute a violation of the country’s national sovereignty and the fundamental principles of the UN Charter, particularly the right of peoples to self-determination. It said these measures have caused “gross violations of human rights of the Cuban people and extensive economic damage.”

Describing the sanctions as “illegal and inhumane,” the ministry stressed that the 66-year-long US embargo against Cuba—the longest of its kind in modern history—amounts to “a crime against humanity” due to its widespread impact on the rights and livelihoods of the Cuban people, adding that the US government “must be held accountable for committing these crimes.”

The statement also condemned recent US efforts to intensify sanctions and impose a naval blockade on Cuba, along with “provocative and baseless claims” aimed at intimidation and coercion. The Iranian Foreign Ministry said these actions represent another example of “US lawlessness and bullying” that must be condemned by all states and the United Nations.

The ministry concluded that “the will of nations to preserve their independence and national dignity cannot be broken through sanctions and threats,” reaffirming Iran’s full solidarity with the government and people of Cuba and calling for respect for national sovereignty, non-interference in internal affairs, and an end to unilateral coercive measures against developing countries.