Argentina: Russia, Still an Alternative to Mediate with Iran

Even though Morocco has begun talks with Teheran, Buenos Aires still sees Moscow as a possible mediator in the diplomatic crisis with Iran on the bombing of a Jewish club in 1994
The Argentine government intends to begin negotiations to try Iranian diplomats involved in the case in a third country.

As PRAVDA.Ru first made know last moth, Argentina sees Moscow as an alternative to mediate with Iran on the crisis sparked by denounces that link Iranian diplomats to the terrorist attack that blew a Buenos Aires' Jewish club in 1994 and left 85 killed. During UN General Assembly in New York last week, Argentine Foreign Minister Rafael Bielsa met Igor Ivanov, who said Russia would study the case and see the proposal feasible.

"Russia has an excellent Foreign Minister", noted Bielsa. "We will discuss the issue during Ivanov's visit to Buenos Aires". Igor Ivanov will arrive in Argentina on December 16 as part of a Latin American tour that will also include stops in Caracas and Brasilia.

However, Morocco has already offered to help and preliminary contacts have already been made to bring Iran back to the negotiations table after it objected to the involvement of a local count. Argentine courts point out Iran as the international connection on the attack.

Sources in the Argentine Foreign Ministry told PRAVDA.Ru that Morocco's alternative is still alive but "it is only a small part of a long process that eventually could include Russia as one of the countries involved" to sort out the diplomatic crisis.

In turn, Argentine Foreign Minister, Rafael Bielsa told PRAVDA.Ru that Iran has shown signs of cooperation "despite official first negative response". In a bilateral parliamentarian meeting, Iran lawmakers expressed their interest in the solution proposed by Argentina.

Buenos Aires' bid has met with approval of the local Jewish community (third world's largest) and has been discussed with the American Jewish Committee. Foreign Minister Rafael Bielsa would like to follow the model applied with Libya after the Lockerbie bombing, killing 270 passengers. A Scot tribunal in The Hague tried Libyan citizens involved, after a bilateral agreement.

Tension between Argentina and Iran have increased since the former Iranian ambassador to Buenos Aires, Soleimanpour was arrested in London and then released by a British court. Argentina's courts say Soleimanpour was behind the bombing of the AMIA Jewish club in Buenos Aires in 1994.