30 years after the AMIA attack, Iran launches threats against the Argentine government

On the day that marks 30 years since the attack on the Argentine Israelite Mutual Association (AMIA), the Iranian regime has published a strong editorial in one of its closest media outlets, the Tehran Times, directed at the government of Argentine President Javier Milei.

In the editorial, Tehran accuses Milei of being a “puppet” of Israel and of repeating “baseless claims” against the Islamic Republic, threatening to make him “regret his enmity.” “Tehran will not forget Buenos Aires’ anti-Iranian policy,” the article says. “But Iran has shown that it is not in a hurry to play on the enemy’s board, but at the right time and position, it will impose its own game on the enemy and make him regret his enmity with Iran.”

The Tehran Times, a media outlet close to the Iranian government, also questions the lack of reliable results in the investigation processes carried out during the 30 years since the attack of July 18, 1994, which left 85 dead and nearly 300 wounded. The Argentine accusations about Iran’s involvement in the attack are described as “baseless” by the editorial.

This stance comes on the first anniversary of the AMIA attack during the administration of Javier Milei, who has strengthened ties with Israel and the United States in geopolitical matters since his arrival to the presidency in December. Last week, the Argentine Presidency issued a statement reiterating the accusations against Iran and recalling the Islamic Republic’s link to the attacks against the Israeli Embassy in Buenos Aires and against the AMIA.

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The Tehran Times editorial reinforces the recent statement by the Iranian Foreign Ministry, which maintains that there is no substantiated evidence of the involvement of Iranian citizens in the attack. According to the Iranian media, the support of the Milei government to Israel endangers Argentina’s national interests.

In response to the Iranian comments, Argentine Defense Minister Luis Petri said: “No one is threatening Argentina.” Petri said that the government is not worried and will not be intimidated. “We are going to fight terrorism with the Security Forces, with the Armed Forces and with intelligence,” he said.

During the commemoration ceremony, Petri toughened his stance against terrorism, stressing the importance of declaring the Palestinian movement Hamas a terrorist organization. “You cannot be neutral with regard to terrorism, neutrality is cover-up,” he stressed.

Along the same lines, the Minister of Security, Patricia Bullrich, emphasized that “the Iranians, who continue to live in their country and are civil servants, must pay for what they did.”

The commemoration of the 30th anniversary of the AMIA attack takes place in a context of diplomatic tension between Argentina and Iran, exacerbated by recent statements and threats from the Iranian regime.