TEHRAN: Iran's President Hassan Rouhani hailed as a "relentless warrior" the Cuban leader Fidel Castro, who died aged 90 on Friday.
In a message to the late leader's brother President Raul Castro, Rouhani said the death of the leader of the Cuban revolution caused him "great grief and sorrow".
"In this age -- when oppressed nations around the world suffer from violations of the most obvious and fundamental human principles such as peace, justice and freedom -- it is fortunate there are free men and warriors who do not give up fighting until the last days of their lives to keep the flag of justice high," he said in the message.
Rouhani met Raul and Fidel Castro in September in Cuba.
Castro had met Iranian officials, including supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, on a visit to Iran in 2001.
Since the Islamic Revolution of 1979, which overthrew the pro-American shah, Iran and Cuba have had friendly ties and often back each other in the international arena.
Tehran has vocally condemned the US embargo on Cuba, and Havana has supported Iran's efforts for a civilian nuclear programme.
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