The government of Iran has announced it will designate the naval and air forces of Argentina as “terrorist organisations”, in a tit-for-tat response to how the South American country designated its Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) in March.
Iran’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement on Wednesday that it considers the two branches of the Argentinian military “terrorist organisations” by “the principle of reciprocity”. The statement does not mention Argentina’s army.
“It is evident that the responsibility for all consequences arising from this matter will lie with the Argentine government,” the statement adds.
Argentina’s foreign ministry responded with a statement of its own saying that it “categorically rejects” Iran’s designation.
“This measure is completely baseless and constitutes an unacceptable accusation,” the statement reads.
Wednesday’s back-and-forth, however, is not the first time that relations between Iran and Argentina have been strained.
Argentina blames the Iran-backed group Hezbollah for a deadly bombing attack on the AMIA Jewish community centre in Buenos Aires in 1994, which killed 85 people and injured hundreds more.
The office of Argentinian President Javier Milei referenced that incident on March 31, when it issued the “terrorist” designation against the IRGC.
“President Javier Milei hopes this decision will settle a historical debt of more than 30 years with the families of the victims,” a statement from his office said at the time.
“This government is determined to bring the Argentine Republic back into alignment with Western civilization, while condemning and directly combating those who seek to destroy it.”
The decision to designate the IRGC as a “terrorist organisation” also aligned with a push under United States President Donald Trump to isolate Iran.
The US and Israel launched a war against Iran on February 28, and the two countries have called on international allies to support their offensive.
While many leaders in Latin America have avoided taking sides in global conflicts, Milei has positioned his government firmly behind the US and Israel.
Milei’s abrasive style has sometimes brought him into conflict with other countries in the region, including key regional economic players like Brazil.
The Argentinian leader has also revived his country’s dispute with the United Kingdom over the Falkland Islands, which his country refers to as Las Malvinas and claims as part of its national territory.
