Havana , Cuba ( CNN ) -- Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad visited Cuba Wednesday and called on developing countries to unite against `` imperialism and capitalism . '' `` Why are the Iranian , Cuban and Latin American people punished by the United States ? '' he asked the audience attending his speech at the University of Havana . `` Have we attacked them in some way ? Have we asked for more than we are owed ? Never , not once . We have only ever wanted justice . '' Ahmadinejad did not directly mention a bomb attack that left an Iranian nuclear scientist dead in Tehran Wednesday . But , he said , `` The capitalist system might do damage , sabotage . '' Facing increasing sanctions over Iran 's alleged development of nuclear weapons , Ahmadinejad is calling on friendly heads of state this week in Venezuela , Nicaragua and Cuba . He was expected to meet with high-ranking government officials on the island , including President Raul Castro . By Wednesday evening , the Cuban government had not made any announcement about whether Ahmadinejad had met with former President Fidel Castro . U.S. Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen , R-Florida , a Cuban-American who has called for tougher sanctions against the island nation 's government , called Ahmadinejad 's itinerary a `` tour of tyrants . '' `` Rallying dictators against the United States is the central agenda item of Ahmadinejad 's trip to the region , '' Ros-Lehtinen said in a statement . Cuba has been under U.S. economic sanctions for 50 years . Cuba officially recognized Iran shortly after the 1979 Iranian revolution . Then-Cuban President Fidel Castro visited Iran in 2001 . Cuba also aspires to become a large oil producer and is working with a Spanish company to develop between 5 million and 20 billion barrels of oil in the straits of Florida . Thursday , Ahmadinejad was scheduled to leave Cuba for Ecuador , the final stop on his trip .
NEW : `` Capitalist system might do damage , sabotage , '' Ahmadinejad says . Ahmadinejad previously visited Venezuela and Nicaragua . The tour is part of an effort to strengthen diplomatic and economic ties in the region . Comment: