Argentina seeks arrest of Iranian minister over 1994 bombing

Published: April 24, 2024, 2:57 PM(EAT)

Argentina has asked Interpol to issue an arrest notice for the Iranian interior minister, Ahmad Vahidi.

The request comes less than two weeks after a court in Argentina held Iran responsible for the 1994 attack on a Jewish community center in Buenos Aires, in which 85 people were killed.

Mr. Vahidi was in Pakistan earlier this week as part of an Iranian delegation which is now in Sri Lanka.

Argentina said it had also asked the two countries to detain Mr. Vahidi.

The Argentine Foreign Ministry said in a statement that Interpol had issued a so-called “red notice”.

While a red notice alerts police in member countries about internationally wanted fugitives, it does not constitute an arrest warrant.

Interpol cannot compel police to arrest someone for whom a red notice has been issued, it is up to the member country to decide whether to make the arrest.