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Argentine Judge Orders Arrest of Iranian Official Linked to AMIA Bombing; Suspect May Be Dead
๐Ÿ‡ฆ๐Ÿ‡ท Argentina /Conflict & Security

Argentine Judge Orders Arrest of Iranian Official Linked to AMIA Bombing; Suspect May Be Dead

From La Naciรณn · (2d ago) Spanish Critical tone

Translated from Spanish, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

TLDR

  • An Argentine judge has ordered the international arrest of Seyed Ali-Asghar Mir-Hejazi, described as a key figure in the Iranian regime and a right-hand man to Ali Khamenei, for his alleged role in the 1994 AMIA bombing.
  • Israeli media reports suggest Mir-Hejazi may have died in an Israeli airstrike in Tehran on March 6, 2026, though this remains unconfirmed.
  • The judge is proceeding with an in-absentia trial against suspects in the bombing, which killed 85 people and injured 300.

Argentine justice has taken a significant step forward in the long-standing investigation into the 1994 AMIA bombing, with federal judge Daniel Rafecas ordering the international arrest of Seyed Ali-Asghar Mir-Hejazi. Mir-Hejazi is identified as a crucial figure within the Iranian regime, serving as the right-hand man to Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. The judge's order, seeking an Interpol red notice, aims to apprehend Mir-Hejazi should he attempt to travel internationally. This move is based on evidence gathered, including testimonies from Iranian dissidents in Paris, which allegedly link Mir-Hejazi directly to ordering the attack and even placing him in Buenos Aires in 1993, a year before the bombing.

However, the pursuit of justice faces a potential complication: reports from Israeli media suggest that Mir-Hejazi may have already perished. According to these unconfirmed reports, he was killed in an Israeli airstrike targeting a subterranean command center in Tehran on March 6, 2026. This information, if accurate, would significantly alter the course of the legal proceedings, though the Argentine judiciary is proceeding with the case regardless, including an in-absentia trial against several other suspects who have never appeared before local judicial authorities.

The AMIA bombing, which occurred on July 18, 1994, resulted in 85 deaths and 300 injuries, leaving a deep scar on Argentine society. The investigation has been protracted and complex, involving numerous international players and allegations of Iranian state involvement. Judge Rafecas's current efforts to bring those responsible to justice, even in absentia, underscore Argentina's persistent commitment to resolving this tragic event and holding perpetrators accountable, regardless of their current whereabouts or status.

Seyed Ali-Asghar Mir-Hejazi is "the power in the shadows," the executor of the Iranian regime's military and intelligence operations.

โ€” Judicial sourcesDescribing Mir-Hejazi's alleged role and influence within the Iranian government.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by La Naciรณn in Spanish. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.