Argentine charge d'affaires summoned by Iran over bombing allegation
Iran-Argentina, Politics, 11/18/2006

Argentine charge d'affaires was summoned to Iran's Foreign Ministry today to be handed Tehran's letter of protest against 'irresponsible' move of an Argentine judge in issuing an anti-Iran ruling.

An informed source said the head of the department for American continent affairs in Foreign Ministry, Safar Ali Eslamian in the meeting informed the Argentine diplomat of Iran's protest to the ruling, calling it as being 'against current international judicial and legal procedures' and said Tehran reserves the right to follow up the case through judicial and legal channels.

The official further said that open support of the US and Israel for the Argentine judge show behind-the-curtain dealings to stir up controversy against Iran.

The informed source quoted the Iranian Foreign Ministry official as telling the Argentine charge d'affaires that guaranteeing immunity of diplomats is among duties of the host government.

He called on Argentine to provide answers to Tehran's repeated requests for response and cooperation in the terrorist attempt on the life of Iran's charge d'affaires in Buenos Aires in the 90s.

Different groups of Argentinian Muslims held demonstrations Monday in support of Iran in its running feud with Buenos Aires over the arrest warrants issued by an Argentine federal judge against a number of former Iranian officials.

Argentine Judge Rodolfo Canicoba Corral once again issued warrants of arrest for a number of former Iranian officials for alleged involvement in the 1994 bombing of a Buenos Aires Jewish community center.

The seven-story Argentine-Israeli Mutual Association (AMIA) building, a symbol of the country's Jewish community, was destroyed by a bomb on July 18, 1994 which left 85 dead and more than 200 injured. Iran has rejected all accusations on what it described as based on falsified evidence and has warned Buenos Aires of a possible break in bilateral relations. According to Spain's official news agency EFE, the demonstrators issued a statement addressed to Judge Corral saying his verdict was based on falsified evidence.

Describing Corral's decision as an "insult" to the Argentine Muslim community, the statement said the warrants were the result of the Argentine judiciary's caving in to pressure from the international Zionist lobby. The Zionist lobby's aim is to portray Iran unfavorably before the international community and sow discord between the two nations that have long standing cordial relations. The statement also asked the Argentine judicial system to explore "all possibilities" in order to dig up the truth and clear up all ambiguities.

Iran's Charge d'Affaires in Buenos Aires Mohsen Baharvand had accused Argentina of using the 1994 bombing of the Jewish charity as a "scapegoat." "We will not recognize these (warrants) and will urge Interpol to do the same," Baharvand said.

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