Argentina condemns Vahidi's nomination as Iran's interior minister

Argentina considers Ahmad Vahidi one of the “factors” of the 1994 terrorist attack on the Jewish cultural center in Buenos Aires, and considers his nomination as Iran’s next interior minister an insult to the victims of the attack. 85 people were killed in the AMIA bombing.

Following the publication of the proposed ministerial list of Ebrahim Raisi, the new President of Iran, and the introduction of Ahmad Vahidi as the new Minister of Interior, the Argentine government strongly criticized this.

According to Argentine and Israeli officials, the former commander of the Quds Brigades was one of the “main factors” in the 1994 bombing of the Amaya Jewish Cultural Center in Buenos Aires, which killed 85 people.

The Argentine Foreign Ministry announced in a statement on Wednesday, August 11, that "Vahidi's nomination for the post of Minister of State of Iran is an insult to the Argentine judicial system and the victims of the brutal AMIA terrorist attack." Argentina has requested Interpol to arrest and extradite Vahidi.

Alberto Nisman, the special prosecutor investigating the attack, had named Vahidi and six other Islamic Republic politicians and officials as the perpetrators. He was shot dead in his apartment in early 2015.

The Argentine Foreign Ministry statement also stated: "The Argentine government once again calls on the government of the Islamic Republic of Iran to fully cooperate with the Argentine judiciary and allow those accused of involvement in the AMIA bombing to be tried by competent courts."

Iran's new President Ebrahim Raisi presented his list of ministers to the parliament on Wednesday and introduced Vahidi as the interior minister of his cabinet.

Vahidi was the Minister of Defense during the presidency of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.

Source: DW