MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Iran rejects Kirchner claims and points to Judiciary “corruption”

Iran strongly rejected on Thursday Argentine President Nestor Kirchner's claim that the country failed to cooperate in a probe of a 1994 terror bombing in Buenos Aires which left hundreds dead and maimed.

"Kirchner's remarks indicate that either his information was not up-to-date or he had made those comments under the influence of the present situation of his country's approaching elections and under the pressures of the Zionists'' Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesman Mohammad-Ali Hosseini is quoted on the Islamic Republic News Agency Web site. Addressing the United Nations General Assembly this week in New York, Kirchner claimed Iran hasn't given its full cooperation to Argentine courts, which are still investigating the car bombing of the Buenos Aires Jewish Community Center that killed 85 people and injured 300. "We expect the Islamic Republic of Iran, in the framework of applicable international law accepts and respects Argentine Justice Jurisdiction and efficiently collaborates with Argentine judges" so that those who have been linked to the attacks can be questioned said Kirchner. But Hosseini said Argentina's failure to find those responsible for the attack results from "corruption in Argentina's judiciary system" adding that "as a humanitarian move, the Islamic Republic of Iran has already voiced its readiness to form a joint judicial and legal committee with Argentina". The Iranian official also accused "Zionist war-monger groups" of creating political tension in Argentina helping to keep relations between Argentina and Iran "frozen". Kirchner who has been praised for the human rights record of his administration has faced lobbying throughout his term by local Jewish groups to condemn Iran's failure to provide information or witnesses in the 13-year probe. Kirchner's remarks to the UN Assembly were applauded by members of the Argentine Jewish community. Following the speech Aldo Donzis, a leader of the Argentine Jewish community approached Kirchner and enthusiastically said to him: "A clear speech is very important....we're satisfied", according to Argentine diplomatic sources. However in his speech Kirchner referred mostly to the formal aspects of the case, without identifying any Iranian officials in particular for not co-operating with justice. Kirchner highlighted that the Argentine goal "is only to find out the truth and judge those responsible". Argentine prosecutors last year charged former Iranian government officials with directing Lebanese militia group Hezbollah to carry out the attack. Last November 9, federal Judge Rodolfo Canicoba Corral in Buenos Aires issued a warrant for the arrest of former Iranian President Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani and eight other former Iranian officials. Iran, in a statement at the time, said the accusation were "baseless". On March 15, International police agency Interpol issued so-called Red notices for the arrest of five former Iranian officials, including former Intelligence Minister Ali Fallahian, and for a Lebanese member of Hezbollah, putting them on an international watch list. Interpol didn't issue requested Red Notices for Rafsanjani, former Iranian Minister of Foreign Affairs Ali Akbar Velayati and former Iranian Ambassador to Argentina Hadi Soleimanpou.