An Argentine official is demanding once again that Iran hand over the suspects in a deadly explosion at a Buenos Aires Jewish community centre in 1994.
AFP reported on the statement by Alberto Nisman, the prosecutor in the case, who was responding to an earlier announcement from Iran.
Yesterday, Iran’s Foreign Ministry said it was ready to co-operate with the Argentine government in order to clarify the truth about the explosion. IRNA reported that the Islamic Republic aimed to “stem the erroneous course of the judicial investigations in this case.”
Today, Nisman said the only way Iran can co-operate is to hand over the officials Argentina believes were responsible for the “horrendous terrorist attack.”
On July 18, 1994, 85 people were killed in an explosion of the Argentine Israelite Mutual Organization (AMIA) the largest Jewish community centre in Buenos Aires. Argentina holds Iran responsible for the attack. The Israeli government also accuses Iran of involvement in the explosion at its Buenos Aires embassy in 1992.
For their suspected roles in the AMIA explosion, Argentina has issued arrest warrants for: Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, who was then Iran’s president; Ahmad Vahidi, the head of the Qods branch of the Revolutionary Guards at the time; and Mohsen Rezai, the former Revolutionary Guards chief.
Iran denies any involvement in either case and claims all accusations are politically motivated.
The Foreign Ministry says the truth about the explosion at the AMIA building has been “caught up in conspiracies and political games.” It says Argentina has erroneously pointed the finger at Islamic Republic citizens and kept the justice system from finding the true culprits.
The ministry adds that it will soon publish a report to clarify the “unfair and misdirected handling of this case.”
In June, the Argentine government protested the presence of Iranian Minister of Defence Ahmad Vahidi in Bolivia and urged Bolivia to end his trip.
Bolivia apologized to Argentina and called on the Iranian minister to leave the country.
