MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Milei chairs emergency meeting to review crisis in Israel

Argentina's Milei is unequivocally siding with Israel, it was announced in Buenos Aires

Argentine President Javier Milei cut short his trip abroad and returned to Buenos Aires for an emergency cabinet meeting to review the ongoing crisis in the Middle East after Iran launched missiles and drones against Israel.

Milei, who reiterated Argentina's unwavering support to Tel Aviv, was to go from his meeting with tycoon Elon Musk in the United States to Denmark to finalize the purchase of 24 second-hand US-built F-16 jets for the Argentine Air Force. According to media reports, he was also planning to fly in one of these aircraft at supersonic speed.

During Sunday's gathering, the Argentine officials were briefed on the situation by Israeli Ambassador Eyal Sela. Also participating at the meeting were Vice President Victoria Villarruel, Presidential Secretary Karina Milei, Cabinet Chief Nicolás Posse, and Ministers Guillermo Francos (Interior), Patricia Bullrich (Security), Luis Toto Caputo (Economy), Mariano Cúneo Libarona (Justice), and Mario Russo (Health), in addition to Federal Intelligence Agency (AFI) Chief Silvestre Sívori.

“I came here to express the gratitude of the Prime Minister of Israel, Benjamin Netanyahu, and the President, Isaac Herzog, to President Milei for his resounding condemnation of Iran and for being on the right side of history and the facts,” Sela told reporters alongside Presidential Spokesman Manuel Adorni after the encounter. He also highlighted that Milei and his government have a “clear” stance, in line with the majority of the international community.

Sela also pointed out that he brought “diplomatic information” on the latest events which he referred to as “the first time Iran tried to attack Israel from its own territory” after many years of conducting various onslaughts through “proxies” such as terrorist organizations Hezbollah, Hamas, the Houthis or militias in Syria and Iraq.

The Ambassador also argued that the Libertarian administration positioned itself “on the right side of history, of rights, of the need for self-defense of the countries.” He also admitted no casualties had been reported after Iran's attack “but there are some wounded and a lot of damage.”

Given the present scenario, Argentina's Foreign Minister Diana Mondino the embassies in Israel, Iran, Lebanon, and Syria closed. “The Government of the Argentine Republic categorically condemns the unprecedented attack by the Islamic Republic of Iran against the State of Israel and reaffirms its support for Israel's legitimate right to defend its sovereignty. The Argentine Government urges Iran to cease its unjustified attacks and avoid a global crisis,” the Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

The agency also urged Argentine nationals in Israel, Iran, Jordan, Lebanon, Palestine, or Syria to be attentive to the evolution of the conflict and to follow the instructions of local authorities. Mondino also made arrangements for those needing consular services, it was reported.