The message recalled former Cuban leader Fidel Castro’s visit to Tehran and his address at the University of Tehran more than two decades ago, saying Castro praised the Iranian people’s resistance, independence and struggle against foreign domination.
The organization said Castro’s remarks reflected a shared history of resistance between the two countries, adding that Iran and Cuba remain united in opposition to U.S. policies.
The statement described the United States as pursuing an updated version of the Monroe Doctrine, citing the 2025 U.S. National Security Strategy, and said Washington has been seeking to restore its influence in Latin America through military pressure and intervention.
It said Cuba occupies a central position in Latin America’s resistance to U.S. policies, while Iran, Hezbollah in Lebanon and Ansarullah in Yemen constitute other parts of a broader front of resistance against a common adversary.
The Student Basij also warned that foreign pressure can be accompanied by attempts to exploit internal divisions, arguing that resistance and national unity are essential to confronting external threats.
“The cost of compromise is always greater than the cost of resistance,” the statement said, warning against the infiltration of currents seeking to weaken resistance from within.
The organization also called for stronger academic and student-to-student ties between Iran and Cuba, saying cooperation should go beyond formal meetings and develop into joint initiatives in scientific, cultural and social fields.
It proposed direct communication between student organizations in the two countries, joint academic meetings and exchanges of experience among Iranian and Cuban students and university activists.
The statement said young people and students have a key role in shaping the future of their countries and described closer ties between Iranian and Cuban students as an opportunity to transfer experience and build long-term cooperation.
The message concluded by drawing a parallel between Fidel Castro’s slogan “Either death or the homeland” and the Iranian people’s rallying cry of “Either death or Khamenei” during the early hours of the war.
“The slogan is one, the path is one, and the enemy is also one. We stand on this path, believe in it, fight for it and are ready to give our lives for it,” the statement said.
Hossein Vaez - Mojtaba Darabi
