In a significant development, Iran has announced its decision to designate the naval and air forces of Argentina as "terrorist organizations," in response to Argentina's March designation of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) as such. The move comes amidst strained relations between the two countries, with Argentina blaming Hezbollah, an Iran-backed group, for a deadly bombing attack on the AMIA Jewish community centre in Buenos Aires in 1994. Iran's Ministry of Foreign Affairs made the announcement on Wednesday, stating that the decision was based on the principle of reciprocity. Argentina's foreign ministry responded by categorically rejecting the designation, deeming it baseless and unacceptable. The statement from Iran does not mention Argentina's army. The back-and-forth is not the first time relations between Iran and Argentina have been strained, and it comes at a time when President Javier Milei of Argentina has positioned his government firmly behind the US and Israel in their offensive against Iran, which launched on February 28.
In March, President Milei's office issued a statement designating the IRGC as a "terrorist organization," hoping that this decision would settle a historical debt with the families of the victims from the AMIA bombing. The decision aligns with a push under former US President Donald Trump to isolate Iran. While many leaders in Latin America have avoided taking sides in global conflicts, Milei has taken a firm stance, often finding himself in conflict with other countries in the region, including key regional economic players like Brazil. Additionally, Milei has revived his country's dispute with the United Kingdom over the Falkland Islands, which Argentina refers to as Las Malvinas and claims as part of its national territory.
The Iranian government has yet to provide further details about how it plans to implement this designation. It remains to be seen how Argentina will respond to this latest move by Iran. The consequences of this reciprocal action could have significant implications for the already tense relations between the two countries and the broader international community.
In a tit-for-tat response to Argentina's designation of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) as a "terrorist organization," Iran has announced its decision to designate the naval and air forces of Argentina as such. The announcement was made by Iran's Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Wednesday, stating that this decision was based on the principle of reciprocity. This latest move follows strained relations between the two countries, with Argentina blaming Hezbollah, an Iran-backed group, for a deadly bombing attack on the AMIA Jewish community centre in Buenos Aires in 1994. Argentina's foreign ministry responded by categorically rejecting the designation, deeming it baseless and unacceptable. The statement from Iran does not mention Argentina's army.
The decision to designate the IRGC as a "terrorist organization" was made by President Javier Milei of Argentina in March, with the hope that this decision would settle a historical debt with the families of the victims from the AMIA bombing. This decision aligns with a push under former US President Donald Trump to isolate Iran. While many leaders in Latin America have avoided taking sides in global conflicts, Milei has taken a firm stance, often finding himself in conflict with other countries in the region, including key regional economic players like Brazil. Additionally, Milei has revived his country's dispute with the United Kingdom over the Falkland Islands, which Argentina refers to as Las Malvinas and claims as part of its national territory.
The Iranian government has yet to provide further details about how it plans to implement this designation. It remains to be seen how Argentina will respond to this latest move by Iran, and whether this reciprocal action could have significant implications for the already tense relations between the two countries and the broader international community.
In a move that is likely to further strain relations with Argentina, Iran has announced its decision to designate the naval and air forces of Argentina as "terrorist organizations." This decision comes in response to Argentina's March designation of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) as such. Iran's Ministry of Foreign Affairs made the announcement on Wednesday, stating that this decision was based on the principle of reciprocity. Argentina's foreign ministry responded by categorically rejecting the designation, deeming it baseless and unacceptable.
The decision to designate the IRGC as a "terrorist organization" was made by President Javier Milei of Argentina in March, with the hope that this decision would settle a historical debt with the families of the victims from the AMIA bombing. This decision aligns with a push under former US President Donald Trump to isolate Iran. While many leaders in Latin America have avoided taking sides in global conflicts, Milei has taken a firm stance, often finding himself in conflict with other countries in the region, including key regional economic players like Brazil. Additionally, Milei has revived his country's dispute with the United Kingdom over the Falkland Islands, which Argentina refers to as Las Malvinas and claims as part of its national territory.
It remains to be seen how Argentina will respond to this latest move by Iran, and whether this reciprocal action could have significant implications for the already tense relations between the two countries and the broader international community. The consequences of this designation could have far-reaching effects on military cooperation, trade, and diplomatic ties between the two nations.