LONDON — The United States pressed Argentina to end its investigation of Iranian complicity in the 1994 bombing of a Jewish center in which nearly 100 people were killed.
Western diplomatic sources said the administration of President Barack Obama urged Argentina on several occasions to either stop or limit the investigation into the bombing of the Argentine-Israeli Mutual Association in Buenos Aires. The sources said the U.S. appeals marked one of the demands by Iran for a reconciliation with Washington.
“Argentina had hard evidence against at least one Iranian leader, which prevented him from traveling abroad,” a source said.
A key Iranian suspect was identified as Ali Akhbar Velayati, foreign minister from 1981 until 1987, and deemed close to supreme leader Ali Khamenei. Velayati has been on the official wanted list of Interpol since 2007 and a subject of an international arrest warrant by Argentina.
“One of the first demands by Iran to the administration was that Argentina be pressed to drop the warrant,” the source, close to the Argentine leadership, said. “Within months, the U.S. followed up with a high-level meeting in which Argentina was asked to lay off.”
The sources said Buenos Aires eventually complied. In 2013, Argentina and Iran signed an agreement for a joint investigation of the AMIA bombing, deemed a cover-up by Buenos Aires.
On Jan. 18, a leading Argentinian prosecutor assigned to investigate an alleged government cover-up on AMIA was found shot to death in his home. The prosecutor, Alberto Nisman, had been scheduled to appear in front of Congress and present evidence that President Cristina Kirchner and Foreign Minister Hector Timerman shielded Teheran in connection with the bombing.
“[They] took the criminal decision of inventing Iran’s innocence to satisfy commercial, political and geopolitical interests of the Argentine republic,” a 289-page report by Nisman said.
It was not clear whether the report contained evidence of U.S. intervention in the alleged plot to clear the Iranians. The 51-year-old Nisman, appointed in 2005, had presented evidence that Iran sponsored the bombing, conducted by its main proxy, Hizbullah.
On Jan. 21, the ranking Democrat of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee said Obama has become the leading defender of Iran. Sen. Robert Menendez suggested that the administration was coordinating with Teheran in efforts to block U.S. sanctions on Iran.
“The more I hear from the administration and its quotes, the more it sounds like talking points that come straight out of Iran,” Menendez said. “And it feeds to the Iranian narrative of victimization, when they’re the ones with original sin.”
For her part, Ms. Kirchner said Nisman was killed by opponents of the president. Earlier, officials asserted that Nisman committed suicide.
“I’m convinced that it was not suicide,” Ms. Kirchner said. “They used him when he was alive but then they needed him dead.”
I am in Argentine. There is not a lot being said about Obama: he is being cautious and has offered tech. and scientific assistance. Buenos Aires people are very pro-American, but not necessarily parts of the administration who “according to my husband” is being managed by “Comissar Kiciloff” the young’n Minister of Economy, who is a devoted “Marxist” and has been quite damaging to the economy, maintaining a 25-30% inlfation. Events are managed day by day, no long term planning, and there are more details emerging daily, colored by the issue of the Vulture Funds. We have a new Ambassador and I don’t know him, though we are in touch on a social basis w/ embassy people. They are very careful on what they are saying. Sorry presently I have very little on the Potus issue. The common wisdom is that if the Israeli Embassy+ AMIA attempts have been buried for such a long time, one cadaver more or less will not change to much the situation. The death of Nissan saddened me. People here don’t talk about sensitive issues on the phone or e-mails. I am waiting for my cousin (who is a lawyer) to come back from vacation ( the court and lawyers don’t work during the month of January) to get a better handle on the story, though as I said I don’t expect too much to change.
@ diana:
Is anything being said about US Obama admin. in pressuring Argentina to end the investigation as this article alleges? Are you in Argentina?
Things are running wild in Argentina and it’s like reading a spy novel. Timerman (a Jew) , the current Argentinian Minister of Foreign Affairs, son of Jacobo, who was saved by the USA during the dictatorship, is not respected, to say the least, by the local community. There have been several rallies already against the Gov. and one quite big by the community, which I attended. On the 27th, Holocaust Day, there is going to be another rally at the Jewish Comm. Center or AMIA. As you can see the Jews of Argentina, and Argentinians as well, do not “take kindly” to what happened to Nisman. The report, which I read, contains allegations of “secret memorandums” signed by both Arg. (= Timerman) and Iran. The report that Nisman was going to present, named Argentinians presently in the gov. such as: Timerman, Kirchner, Luis D’Elia ( a notorious anti-Semite in the gov. payroll) Esteche, Yussyf Kahlil (Argentinian Muslim) Larroque, the Chief of the Quebracho Association (who immediately retained very expensive lawyer). etc.etc. The authorities are being taken to court by the Association of Attorney’s General. Every day it’s another story and everything is very muddy. The Executive and Judicial Powers have been at war with each other for quite some time and Cristina Kirchner is weak. There is a reporter who works for the Buenos Aires Herald, by the name of Pachter, who has run away to Israel. IMHO it is pay-back time for the Bombs that exploded in the Israeli Embassy (1992) and the AMIA (1994) that killed and wounded several hundreds of people. So, this time if they mention the Mossad in connection with the killing of Nisman I would not be surprised. It’s probable that the Mossad was helping Nisman w/ info., and the Argentinian secret services, who have been in connivance w/ Iran, had him done with.
Notice that no one ever expects the U.S. Jewish establishment to speak out on this. It is already well understood that American Jewish leaders are so timid, fearful and corrupt that all they can do is to hide out and hope no one notices.
Obama must be brought to justice as a criminal aiding and abetting the escape of murderers.
It is not improbable nor unusual that the US CIA murdered Nisman. Those with the facts often disappear to death or inaccesible jails…Pollard, Noriega, Stephens…….
It is important for Jews to demand investigation into this charge.
If true it is astounding and would make Obama complicit in the attmpted cover up of the genocide of Jews. He should be thwarted n every step as daily he proves himself an enemy of the Jews:
Obama’s macabre anti semitic joke…… sending the TREASURY secretary to remember the Jews…… you know how those Jews love money.
Israel must demand a complete disclosure from the Soetoro Obama administration.
Meanwhile stern limitations must be placed upon all US diplomats or CIA and other agencies operatives in Israel.
The US consulate in Jerusalem sole function must be that of representing the US in relation to the elected Israeli government.