Tehran Targets Buenos Aires: Iran Labels Argentine Navy and Air Force Terrorist Groups

85 people died in 1994, a number that now anchors a new diplomatic clash between Iran and Argentina. On Wednesday, the Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs formally designated the Argentine Navy and Air Force as terrorist organisations. This action directly mirrors a decision Argentina made in March, when it classified the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, or IRGC, as a terrorist group. The Iranian statement emphasized that the move was based on the principle of reciprocity. The designation specifically targets the naval and air branches of the Argentine military. The Argentine Army was not included in this latest classification.

The tension between the two nations has roots stretching back to the 1994 bombing of the AMIA Jewish community centre in Buenos Aires. That attack killed 85 people and injured hundreds more. Argentina has long blamed the Iran-backed group Hezbollah for the explosion. In March, the office of Argentine President Javier Milei referenced the AMIA bombing when issuing the original designation against the IRGC. A statement from the presidential office said the decision aimed to settle a historical debt of more than 30 years owed to the victims' families. The office expressed a goal of aligning the Argentine Republic more closely with Western civilization while combating those it believes seek to destroy it.

Iranian officials warned in their Wednesday release that the Argentine government would bear full responsibility for any consequences resulting from the new classification. The Argentine foreign ministry responded quickly. It issued a declaration stating that it categorically rejects the Iranian move. Buenos Aires described the measure as completely baseless and an unacceptable accusation. This exchange continues a pattern of mutual accusations that has persisted for years. The current escalation adds another layer to the long-standing friction between the two capitals.

The diplomatic maneuvering fits within a larger geopolitical shift. The United States and Israel launched a war against Iran on February 28. US President Donald Trump has called on international allies to support their offensive. While many Latin American leaders have traditionally avoided taking sides in global conflicts, President Milei has positioned his government firmly behind the US and Israel. His administration has taken a more aggressive stance toward Iran than previous governments. This alignment has placed Argentina at odds with some of its regional neighbors, including key economic partner Brazil.

President Milei is known for an abrasive diplomatic style that has occasionally strained relations with other nations. He has also reinvigorated the territorial dispute between Argentina and the United Kingdom. The dispute concerns the Falkland Islands, which Argentina calls Las Malvinas and claims as part of its national territory. These combined factors create a complex environment for the latest exchange between Tehran and Buenos Aires. The new designation of the Argentine military branches adds specific weight to these ongoing disagreements.

The Iranian ministry’s statement did not extend the terrorist label to the entire Argentine military. It limited the designation to the naval and air forces. This specificity suggests a targeted response to the March action. The Argentine government’s rejection of the measure was immediate and public. Both sides have now made their positions clear in writing. The diplomatic record shows a sharp increase in formal accusations between the two governments. The next steps in this dispute will likely involve further official communications and potential adjustments in trade or military cooperation.

The background of the 1994 AMIA bombing remains central to the Argentine side’s argument. The families of the victims have waited decades for what they consider justice. The March designation by President Milei’s office was framed as a fulfillment of that promise. Iran’s reciprocal action on Wednesday closes the loop on that specific administrative cycle. The two countries now hold matching lists of designated terrorist entities. This symmetry in official labels underscores the depth of the disagreement. The diplomatic relationship is now defined by these formal, written assertions of enmity rather than informal dialogue.