Castro met with Gholam Ali Haddad-Adel, the speaker of Iran's parliament, in the Palace of the Revolution, as the Iranian official on Saturday wrapped a two day visit to the Communist island nation.

Castro offered "Cuba's firm support for Iran's right to use nuclear issues for peaceful ends" according to a statement published in the Juventud Rebelde and other media.

Western powers fear Iran's nuclear program could be used to build an atomic bomb.

The meeting underscored the "excellent bilateral ties and political dialogue" enjoyed by Havana and Tehran, and also allowed the two leaders to explore "the broad potential for economic relations," according to the newspaper.

Haddad-Adel, "reiterated Iran's respect, friendship toward Cuba and solidiarity against the (US-led) embarago and acts of imperialist aggression," La Juventud Rebelde wrote.

The Iranian delegation arrived in Cuba from Venezuela, and was set to go on to Uruguay.

Iran's President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is scheduled to come to Cuba in September to attend a summit of non-aligned countries.