AMIA: Argentina-Iran accord at risk

The Iranian government delivered a series of contradictory messages today regarding the accord with Argentina to investigate the AMIA Jewish community centre bombing. A spokesmnan for the Iranian Foreign Ministry, Ramin Menhanparast, denied early this morning that Defence Minister Ahhmand Vahidi, a suspect in the case, will be questioned over the attack. His comments prompted a strong reaction from DAIA and AMIA Jewish community groups, who ratified their stance against the memorandum, which seems at risk.

“The questioning of an Iranian official is totally false. It seems as those who are uncomfortable with this agreement taking place allow this kind of information to filter through,” the spokesperson for the Iranian Foreign Ministry, Ramin Mehmanparast said today.

Later, Iranian Foreign Minister Ali-Akbar Salehi contradicted the government official and assured his country and Argentina “thoroughly agree to respect to all regulations of the AMIA case agreement,” and clarified that the accord “functions as a base for our role in the solving of the case.”

On the other hand, official Télam news agency reported that the Iranian Foreign Minister stated that “we have met with Héctor Timerman for two years and the meetings concluded in a 9 part agreement focused in the solution of related problems"

The accord is close to failure considering that opposition politicians and Jewish Community Centre AMIA and DAIA leaders have already reacted to it and after the battle of words between President Cristina Fernández de Kirchner and AMIA president Guillermo Borger in Twitter last weekend.

Foreign Minister Héctor Timerman announced on January 30 that Vahidi,  who is a defendant in the case, would be questioned in Teheran by an Argentine judge, being a key part of the bilateral accord between the countries.

“Both the Iranian and Argentine officials agreed to cooperate in order to make this case more transparent, the agreement is in motion and it will help to resolve any problems tied to it,” he added.

“I was sure that he would be present when the judge questioned him, and he will be,” Timerman assured, three days after the agreement was signed.