The Senate debates the agreement with Iran over the AMIA

February 21, 2013
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The Argentine Senate debate this Thursday an agreement with Iran to establish a truth commission to cooperate in the investigation of the AMIA bombing in 1994 which left 85 dead, whereby a group of Iranians have international arrest.

Despite the rejection of the opposition Ferrero and institutions of the local Jewish community, the largest in Latin America, the government hopes to impose its majority in the Senate, and then move the debate to the Lower House.

“The purpose of the memorandum with Iran is that there is no impunity” in the attack on the Argentina-Israeli Mutual Association (AMIA) in Buenos Aires, said at the start of the debate on government senator Daniel Filmus, who recalled that the court case has been paralyzed since 2006.

For the attack on the AMIA, Buenos Aires claims since 2006 the extradition of eight Iranians, including the defense minister, Ahmad Vahidi, as well as former President Ali Rafsanjani (1989-1997) and former Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Velayati, all with order international arrest supported by Interpol.

The foreign ministers of Argentina, Hector Timerman, and Iran, Ali Salehi, signed a Memorandum of Understanding that allow Argentines judge and prosecutor of the case to move to Tehran for questioning suspects.

The agreement also provides for the formation of a truth commission formed by independent lawyers to cooperate with the investigation of the attack, but their findings are not binding.