Cuba Defiant Against U.S. Pressure

Speaking on NBC's 'Meet the Press,' Díaz-Canel warned that any military action against Cuba would be costly and would severely destabilize regional security.

He stressed that while dialogue and deals with the U.S. are 'possible,' they remain 'difficult' due to the current political climate.

The president refused to commit to releasing political prisoners or scheduling multi-party elections, demands that have been central to Washington's policy.

Díaz-Canel's stance reflects a digging-in of the Cuban leadership as the U.S. remains distracted by the ongoing conflict in Iran.