Iran denied today that Iranians facing international arrest warrants for their alleged roles in the 1994 bombing of a Buenos Aires Jewish centre will be questioned by an Argentinian judge, as announced by Argentine’s foreign minister.
The matter of questioning of some of the Iranian officials is a sheer lie. It seems that those who are
concerned by the actual agreement are spreading such reports,” Iranian foreign ministry spokesman Ramin Mehmanparast said at his weekly press conference.
Mehmanparast’s remarks come after Argentine Foreign Minister Hector Timerman said that seven Iranians with
international arrest warrants against them will be questioned by an Argentine judge in Tehran concerning the bombing.
Timerman had stressed that he had “made sure (Iran Defence Minister Ahmad Vahidi) will have to be present when
the judge questioned them and he will be.”
Last month Argentine President Cristina Kirchner announced an agreement with Iran to create an independent
commission to investigate the bombing.
Argentina has long accused Iran of masterminding the attack and since 2006 has sought the extradition of eight
Iranians, including former president Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani and former foreign minister Ali Akbar Velayati, apart from Vahidi.
Iran has repeatedly denied involvement in the bombing which killed 85 people, and has refused to arrest the
suspects.
Argentine Judge Rodolfo Canicoba Corral and prosecutor Alberto Nisman, the lead investigator into the attack, would
come to Tehran to take the Iranians’ testimony, according to Buenos Aires.
——————–(AFP)