Iran declares Argentina’s Navy and Air Force ‘terrorist organizations’

Iran has officially designated Argentina's Navy and Air Force as "terrorist organizations," Foreign Ministry officials announced on Wednesday. The decision follows President Javier Milei's inclusion of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) in Argentina's list of terrorist groups. Tehran claims the move is a form of reciprocity and warns that Argentina must "face the consequences" of its choice.

The Foreign Ministry cited a 2019 law that allows retaliation against countries backing the U.S.'s designation of the IRGC as a terrorist organization. They described the Argentine actions as "hostile" and cautioned that Buenos Aires will "shoulder responsibility for all consequences." However, they did not specify potential future steps.

The tensions between the two nations have a long history, largely stemming from the actions of President Milei's administration. In March, Argentina added the IRGC to its registry of terrorist organizations, citing official reports linking the group to international criminal activities and attacks on Argentine soil, including the 1992 bombing of the Israeli Embassy in Buenos Aires and the July 1994 AMIA attack, which claimed 29 and 85 lives, respectively.

Iran's judiciary has also blamed these incidents on members of the Iranian regime and Hezbollah. Prior to this, Argentina expelled Iran's top diplomat in Buenos Aires in April, and Iran retaliated by expelling the British Royal Navy and Royal Air Force in early November, calling the British intelligence agency MI6 a "hostile group." Iran's actions in both instances were based on the principle of reciprocity.