EBRAHIM RAISI, RESPONSIBLE FOR CRIMES AGAINST HUMANITY, TO ARRIVE IN CUBA
Ebrahim Raisi, a hardline cleric and autocrat, known as the President of Iran, a country where elections lack any democratic resemblance, is scheduled to visit Cuba on June 14th. This visit is part of a tour that includes stops in the three dictatorships of the Americas: Cuba, Venezuela, and Nicaragua.
Raisi has a long history as a murderer. He served as a member of the "Death Commission" in 1988, where he gained notoriety for being responsible for thousands of extrajudicial killings and forced disappearances in the prisons of Evin and Gohardasht, near Tehran.
Amnesty International asserts that Raisi should be investigated for crimes against humanity, including murder, enforced disappearance, and torture. His rise to the “presidency,” It is a stark reminder that impunity continues to prevail in Iran. In 2018, Amnesty International documented Raisi's involvement as a member of the 'death commission,' responsible for the secret and extrajudicial execution of numerous political dissidents in Evin and Gohardasht prisons near Tehran in 1988. The Iranian authorities have systematically concealed information about the victims' fate and the location of their bodies, constituting ongoing crimes against humanity.
Amnesty International, “Iran: Ebrahim Raisi must be investigated for crimes against humanity,” June 19, 2021
In addition to his previous track record as a perpetrator, Raisi is also responsible for the repression of the 2022 protests in Iran. These protests, which erupted in September 2022, resulted in the deaths of at least 500 people, including 70 minors. Furthermore, he arbitrarily arrested 20,000 individuals for political reasons.
The alliances between Cuba and Iran highlight the dangerous implications of fostering a global culture of impunity in the face of atrocity crimes. While the Iranian regime condemned the July 11, 2021 protests in Cuba as being instigated by the United States, the Cuban regime reciprocated by labeling Iranian protesters as "terrorists and killers at the service of foreign powers," including those who took to the streets in Iran to protest the death of Mahsa Amini, who was brutally beaten by the Morality Police. Cuba received over one billion euros in loans from Tehran between 2005 and 2015. Similar to China's recent revelation of a spying base, the Cuban regime also sells intelligence to Iran.
Cuban state media reproduces Iranian propaganda about the pro-democracy protests. This article by Radio Havana from September 25, 2022 is one example. It reads, "Havana, Sep 25 (RHC) Thousands of people took to the streets of Tehran, the capital of Iran, to denounce acts of vandalism and desecration of Islamic sanctities, in support of the government of the Republic, their loyalty to the leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, and the ideals of the revolution.
The protesters carried banners and chanted slogans to condemn the acts committed by a handful of mercenaries in the service of foreign enemies, who set fire to the Holy Quran, mosques, and national flags."
BRIEF OVERVIEW OF RELATIONS BETWEEN IRAN AND CUBA UP TO 2015.
The relationship between Cuba and Iran has deep roots dating back to 1979 when Fidel Castro became one of the first autocrats to recognize the radical clerics of the Islamic Republic. Their alliance is based on a shared hatred of the United States and the liberal, democratic West.
Over the years, Cuba has provided biopharmaceutical products, training, and technology to Iran's healthcare system, including capabilities for developing and manufacturing biological weapons.
Cuba's strategic location has also allowed Iran to engage in electronic attacks against U.S. telecommunications from a compound in Havana. In return, Iran has provided significant financial support to Cuba, totaling over one billion euros in loans from 2005-2015.
On July 15, 2003, in Washington, D.C., the Broadcasting Board of Governors (BBG) strongly criticized Cuba's deliberate and malicious act of jamming U.S. international broadcasts to Iran. This action was condemned for its intention to prevent Iranian audiences from accessing accurate news and information.
The jamming of Voice of America's Persian-language television programs in Iran was detected on July 6, coinciding with the launch of the News and Views program. The source of the jamming was traced back to Havana, Cuba. The Broadcasting Board of Governors condemned the deliberate and malicious action, which aimed to prevent Iranian audiences from accessing truthful news and information.
SOURCE; U.S. Agency for Global Media, BBG Condemns Cuba’s Jamming of Satellite TV Broadcasts To Iran,
The alliance between Cuba and Iran has also extended to their shared interests in supporting Venezuela, with both countries offering technical assistance and training to Venezuela's security apparatus. There are concerns about potential uranium enrichment activities by Iranian scientists in Venezuela, which could violate international sanctions. These alliances and Cuba's choice of allies indicate that internal liberalization in Cuba may be slow and challenging. Addressing Cuba's troublesome alliances, particularly with Tehran, is crucial for the United States as it seeks to expand relations with Cuba.
BIBLIOGRAPHY.
Jaime SuchlikI “From Havana to Tehran: The strange love affair between a theocracy and an atheistic dictatorship,” Foreign Policy, March 27, 2015.