Iran to Cooperate with Probe Into 1994 Bombing of Jewish Center in Argentina

Iran said it will co-operate with an investigation into the 1994 bombing of a Jewish community center in Argentina that killed 85 people.

Monday is the 17th anniversary of the car-bomb attack on the Israeli-Argentine Mutual Association (AMIA) in Buenos Aires.

Over the weekend, Iran’s foreign ministry said it is ready for a constructive dialogue and to co-operate with the Argentine government to shed all possible light on the AMIA incident.

The foreign ministry in Tehran also issued a statement through the state-controlled IRNA news agency condemning the AMIA attack, but adding that Argentina was unfairly blaming Iran.

Argentina’s foreign ministry, which has long accused Iran of being behind the attack, said it welcomed the offer from Tehran and commented that such cooperation would be unprecedented and positive.

General Ahmad Vahidi, Iran's current Defense Minister, is wanted by Argentine officials for allegedly planning the AMIA attack.

During the time of the AMIA bombing, Vahidi was commander of the “Quds Force,” a special unit of Iran's Revolutionary Guard.

Interpol has been seeking Vahidi’s arrest since 2007.

Reportedly, Argentina’s President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner has repeatedly demanded the extradition of Vahidi and the other Iranian officials accused of being involved in the attack.

However, Iran has always denied it played any role in the bombing.

Argentina said it will publish a report into the attack within a few days.

Another attack, in 1992, on the Israeli embassy in Buenos Aires which killed 29 people has also never been solved.