MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Prosecutor Nisman ready to quit if accused Iranian officials surrender to face trial

“Iran no longer fools anyone” said Nisman after he was labelled a ‘Zionist’ by Teheran

Argentine prosecutor Alberto Nisman responsible for the investigation into the 1994 bombing of a Jewish institution in Buenos Aires that killed 85 people and which points as culprits to several Iranian officials said he will step down if those Iranians named in the report “surrender to face trial”.

“If Nisman is the problem let’s have them surrender and I quit”, said the prosecutor on Tuesday doubling the bet as he responded to Iranian accusations that he is a “Zionist”, because he is a Jew.

On Monday reacting to Nisman’s 500-page indictment saying that Tehran had infiltrated several South American countries during the 80’s to spread terrorism in the region, the Iranian Foreign Ministry dismissed the allegations based on what it called Nisman’s “Zionist” background and nature.

In statements to a Buenos Aires radio station, Nisman remained firm in his position alleging that Iran “no longer fools anyone” and defended the indictment he issued last week against the Islamic country.

“Evidence corners them; it puts them between the devil and the deep. Not a single one of my assertions has been twisted,” Nisman assured.

Last January 27 Argentina signed a memorandum of understanding with Iran to advance in the stalled AMIA case and to question several Iranian officials named in the original investigation. After a long acrimonious debate the Argentine congress, with the government’s majority approved the controversial understanding and President Ahmadinejad did the same but avoiding Iran’s legislative.

Referring to the memorandum which contemplates the naming of a ‘truth committee’, Nisman said it represents “no hurdle” for the investigation. “The government of Argentina is not the problem; the problem is Iran and its denying stance,” the prosecutor insisted.

Nisman on Monday was quoted saying that “in any part of the world, the suspects of the bombing would be in prison; in Iran they run for president” Nisman affirmed adding he had “documents signed by top authorities in Iran” that prove the planned operation of the Islamic Republic that led to the killing of 85 people in Buenos Aires City on July 18, 1994.

“I have the certainty that that this is irrefutable proof. Any prosecutor who sits in my office will reach to the same conclusions because evidence leads to that,” Alberto Nisman stated