Argentina seeks arrest of Iranian minister over bombing

Argentina has asked Interpol to contented an apprehension announcement for the Iranian interior minister, Ahmad Vahidi.

The petition comes little than 2 weeks aft a tribunal successful Argentina held Iran liable for the 1994 onslaught connected a Jewish assemblage centre successful Buenos Aires, successful which 85 radical were killed.

Mr Vahidi was successful Pakistan earlier this week arsenic portion of an Iranian delegation which is present successful Sri Lanka.

Argentina said it had besides asked the 2 countries to detain Mr Vahidi.

The Argentine Foreign Ministry said successful a connection that Interpol had issued a alleged "red notice".

While a reddish announcement alerts constabulary successful subordinate countries astir internationally wanted fugitives, it does not represent an apprehension warrant.

Interpol cannot compel constabulary to apprehension idiosyncratic for whom a reddish announcement has been issued, it is up to the subordinate state to determine whether to marque the arrest.

The Iranian delegation, which includes President Ebrahim Raisi, arrived successful Sri Lanka earlier connected Wednesday.

However, AFP quality bureau reported that Mr Vahidi was not seen accompanying the president upon accomplishment successful Sri Lanka.

Iran's authoritative quality bureau reported that Mr Vahidi was backmost successful Iran connected Tuesday, without referring to the reddish notice.

The Argentine Foreign Ministry said it wanted Mr Vahidi arsenic "one of those liable for the onslaught connected [the Israeli-Argentine Mutual Association taste centre] Amia".

Argentina has successful the past accused Mr Vahidi, who led the overseas operations limb of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (ICRGC) astatine the clip of the attack, of being 1 of the masterminds down the bombing.

The onslaught connected the taste centre was the deadliest successful Argentina's history. Three 100 radical were injured successful the explosion, which killed 85.

Iran has ever denied immoderate engagement but connected 11 April, Argentina's Court of Cassation - the country's highest transgression tribunal - ruled that Iran had planned the onslaught and that the Iran-backed radical Hezbollah had carried it out.

The tribunal called it a "crime against humanity".

The Iranian Foreign Ministry dismissed the ruling, saying the tribunal had made "baseless and unsubstantiated claims" for the involvement of "political goals and objectives".

Argentina is location to Latin America's largest Jewish community.

The assemblage was the people not lone of the Amia bombing but besides of a erstwhile weaponry attack, successful which a termination bomber drove a lorry loaded with explosives successful to the Israeli embassy, sidesplitting 29 people.

Argentina has agelong blamed Iran and the Islamist radical Hezbollah for that onslaught arsenic good arsenic the 1 connected Amia.