US sanctions Cuban state-owned bank BICSA over alleged financial links to Iran

The United States on Thursday imposed sanctions on Cuba's state-owned Banco Internacional de Comercio S.A. (BICSA) over its alleged financial links to Iranian institutions. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio accused Havana of providing support to foreign adversaries of Washington.

"Cuba's Banco Internacional de Comercio S.A. (BICSA) has provided services to the designated Iran's Karafarin Bank since at least 2022," Rubio said in a statement.

The US Treasury Department's Office of Foreign Assets Control designated the Havana-based lender as part of broader action against Iranian entities. Rubio accused Cuba of allowing hostile foreign actors to operate close to American territory and vowed to dismantle financial and security links between Havana, Tehran and other countries Washington considers adversaries.

"For too long, Communist Cuba has been allowed to operate as an outpost for malign actors and terror groups, including the Islamic Republic of Iran," Rubio said.

He added that the Trump administration would not tolerate hostile foreign military, intelligence or terror operations near the United States.

Relations between Washington and Havana have deteriorated under US President Donald Trump, whose administration has increased economic pressure on Cuba through sanctions and an oil blockade. The measures have contributed to severe power shortages and prolonged blackouts across the island.

The latest sanctions come amid growing tensions over Cuba's alleged ties to Iran and other countries viewed by Washington as adversaries.

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Cuba accuses US of pressuring countries over UN vote

Earlier on Thursday, Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez Parrilla accused Rubio of pressuring governments to influence an upcoming United Nations General Assembly vote on the US embargo against Cuba.

In a social media post, Rodríguez alleged that Rubio was trying to persuade world leaders to change their votes against the blockade ahead of the vote scheduled for later in October.

He accused Washington of using pressure and blackmail to prevent another defeat at the United Nations over its long-running restrictions on Cuba.