Argentina’s Court of Cassation has made a groundbreaking revelation in the investigation into the 1994 bombing of a Jewish community center in Buenos Aires, concluding that Iran and its Lebanese proxy, Hezbollah, were responsible for the attack. The court stated that Iran had planned the attack as retaliation for Argentina reneging on a nuclear cooperation deal with Tehran. This ruling paves the way for victims’ families to bring lawsuits against Iran and declares the bombing a “crime against humanity.”
Despite Argentina’s judiciary maintaining Iran’s involvement in the attack for years, the court’s ruling lacked concrete evidence of Iran’s direct involvement. Former investigations into the bombings have resulted in indictments against Iranian officials as well as former Argentine presidents. The chief prosecutor in the case was found dead the day before he was to go public with claims that top Argentine officials had conspired with Iran to cover up responsibility for the bombing. Witnesses have also been threatened and bribed over the years.
The court’s determination was based on confidential intelligence reports that singled out top Iranian officials and paramilitary Revolutionary Guard commanders. In response to the ruling, Israel has asked Argentina to declare the Revolutionary Guard a terrorist organization. Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz reached out to his counterpart in Argentina to deliver the request, citing concerns over Iran’s support for militant groups following recent attacks. Attempts have been made to extradite Iranian citizens convicted in Argentina, but to no avail.
Argentina’s Jewish community, home to around 230,000 Jews, praised the court ruling as historic and unique in Argentina. The ruling comes just months before the 30th anniversary of the bombing, which continues to be a painful reminder for the families of the victims. A group representing the families, called Memoria Activa, expressed hope for complete justice and truth in the case, criticizing judges for profiting from the tragedy. Over the years, Argentina has imposed sanctions on Hezbollah and frozen the group’s financial assets in response to the attack.
The court’s decision has shed new light on a case that has been plagued by setbacks and scandals over the past three decades. Despite the lack of concrete evidence implicating Iran, the ruling holds significance as it declares the bombing a crime against humanity. Many have called for a more serious investigation to provide conclusive proof of Iran’s involvement in the attack. The complex nature of the case, including political and strategic motives, has strained relations between Iran and Argentina, leading to threats, intimidation, and high-profile deaths in connection to the investigation.
