Ex-Iranian Envoy Victim of Plot by Triangle of Evil

Judge Juan Jose Galeano, who is presiding over the case of the AMIA bombing in Argentina, last week issued arrest warrants for eight Iranians, including Soleimanpour, for their alleged involvement in the incident.

MP Hamid-Reza Haji-Babaei, a member of the Majlis National Security and Foreign Policy Commission, said Saturday that the failure of the Middle East road map has prompted the triangle of evil, comprising Israel, the U.S., and Britain, to hatch a new plot against Iran by accusing Tehran of being involved in the bombing of a Jewish center in Argentina in 1994.

Referring to the British cooperation with the U.S. in its propaganda against Iran, Hajbi-Babaei said the arrest of Soleimanpour is suspicious.

The Zionist lobby has tried to externalize its domestic problems by formulating a new strategy to exert more pressure on the Islamic Republic, the MP told the Mehr News Agency.

MP Kazem Jalali also said the accusations against Soleimanpour are tantamount to accusations against the Islamic Republic of Iran and should be dealt with accordingly.

Jalali said that the arrest warrant issued for Soleimanpour is a violation of international law, adding that the baseless accusation is the product of a U.S.-Zionist plot against Iran.

It is probably not a coincidence that the warrant was issued shortly after the political crisis in London regarding David Kelly’s suspicious death, Jalali said. They want to overshadow the subject, he added.

The lawmaker went on to say that the Zionist regime is the main element behind the recent plot, because it faces a deadlock in the Arab-Israeli peace process known as the Middle East road map.

The crisis developed when Islamic Jihad and Hamas issued a joint statement on Thursday formally ending their seven-week-old truce, Jalali told the Mehr News Agency.

Referring to the U.S. role in arranging for the arrest warrant to be issued, Jalali said that by repeating the same old allegations and accusations the U.S. is trying to institutionalize the notion that the Islamic Republic of Iran is a terrorist state and harbors terrorists.

Another member of the Majlis Foreign Policy Commission, Hassan Qashqavi, said the arrest of the former Iranian ambassador is illegal.

The Zionist lobby’s pressure on Argentina and Britain over the case of the 1994 bombing of a Jewish cultural center is evident, Qashqavi added.

Given the current deadlock in the Mideast road map and the renunciation of the truce by Palestinian resistance groups on Thursday, the political motive behind this old story is quite clear.

British magistrates are currently examining the case and may decide to extradite Iran's former ambassador to Argentina.

Following Soleimanpour’s arrest by British police, in the absence of the country's ambassador, the director of the Western European Affairs Department of the Foreign Ministry summoned the British charge d'affaires in Iran, Matthew Gould, to the Foreign Ministry to receive Iran's complaint. 

In this meeting the British charge d'affaires was told that the ruling by the Argentine court and Soleimanipour's arrest were a completely political affair fabricated by Zionist circles.

Gould was asked to tell the British government to avoid getting involved in the new plan that is being organized by Zionist circles and carried out by Argentina.

The Foreign Ministry also highlighted the need for bilateral cooperation to resolve the issue and clear the Iranian diplomat of all charges. 

Gould promised to convey the message to his nation's officials and said he would tell them to follow up the matter on a completely impartial basis.  

The British charge d'affaires stressed that he would notify Iranian officials to inform them about British officials' response as soon as he received it.

The Foreign Ministry also on Saturday summoned Argentine Charge d'Affaires Ernesto Alvarez to inform him of Iran's strong protest against the arrest of Soleimanpour.

Director General of the American Affairs Department of the Foreign Ministry Mahdi Mohtashami voiced Iran's strong protest at the move by Argentine judicial officials and said the Argentine government would be responsible for all the legal and political ramifications the rulings had on their bilateral ties.

Mohtashami also told Alvarez that as it has been announced time and again, the Islamic Republic of Iran totally rejects all the allegations raised against it in this scenario designed by Zionist agents to mar their bilateral ties.

He pointed to the Argentine government's indifference toward Tehran's readiness for judicial cooperation with it in connection with the case and also to its lack of goodwill and refusal to cooperate.

He also informed Alvarez of Iran's decision to suspend economic and cultural cooperation with Argentina.

Alvarez said he would immediately inform Argentina of Iran's strong protest and follow up the case.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Hamid-Reza Assefi here on Friday condemned Soleimanpour's arrest.

"The measure is politically motivated and has been carried out under the influence of the Zionists. It is meant to serve the interests of the Zionist regime," said Assefi.

RA/MS/SM/HG

END

MNA