Iran threatens Argentina and the UK
Iranian President Sunday's said that his country would take "strong action" against both countries over the arrest of its former ambassador to Buenos Aires. The diplomat had been detained in London, in connection with the bombing of a Jewish center in Argentina's capital in 1994
Iranian President Mohammad Khatami promised "strong action" against Argentina and the United Kingdom over the arrest of Hadi Soleimanpour, the former Iranian ambassador to Argentina. The Argentine judge Juan Jose Galeano had required Soleimanpour, who resides in London as a student, as the mastermind of the terrorist attack that, according to his investigators, was executed by Hezbollah and left 85 people died.
Iran has called for Soleimanpour's immediate release and calls the case politically motivated, a charge dismissed by Britain. Iran said on Saturday that it was cutting economic and cultural ties with Argentina because of the arrest. The South American country, in turn, is studying similar diplomatic sanctions against Teheran, as it prepares all the legal procedures to have the former diplomat extradited from the UK.
"The Iranian government will take strong action on this issue," President Khatami said in remarks broadcast on state television, but gave few details about what are your plans. Khatami said he had demanded an immediate apology from Britain and said the Foreign Ministry would summon the British charge d'affaires in Tehran for a second time.
"The Islamic Republic of Iran is sensitive about all of its citizens, particularly those who have responsibility, and it will not compromise on this," Khatami said.
In
Buenos Aires, the Argentine President Nestor Kirchner, together with his Foreign Minister Rafael Bielsa were carefully studying Khatami's words and official response to his threats. At the moment of closing, the document was not yet finished, but sources in Buenos Aires' Foreign Office told PRAVDA.Ru that the Argentine government will response that it has not interfere in the judicial investigation of the case, as it is not going to block judge Galeano's actions.
Argentina will try to calm Iranian invectives on this issue, while treating this affair as nothing more than a legal issue. Judge Galeano, who called for Soleimanpour's extradition, faces an internal investigation over his actions that have left the case without clarification for almost ten years.
An official report issued by the questioned Argentine intelligence services reads that the Iranian government, through its embassy to Buenos Aires plotted the attack. According to the same research, a Hezbolla cell in South America executed the bombing, with the help of an Argentine connection.
