In a significant escalation of diplomatic tensions, Iran's Foreign Ministry announced on Wednesday that it has designated Argentina's navy and air force as "terrorist organizations." This decision comes as a reciprocal response to Argentina's designation of the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) as a terrorist entity back in April. The IRGC, an elite military force in Iran, has been accused by Buenos Aires of supporting Hezbollah, which is linked to the 1994 bombing of the AMIA Jewish community center in Buenos Aires that resulted in 85 deaths and hundreds of injuries.

Iran's announcement emphasizes that the designation is based on the principle of reciprocity, a legal framework that allows for such retaliatory actions. The Iranian Foreign Ministry's statement pointedly noted that the Argentine government would bear responsibility for all consequences arising from this designation. Notably, Iran's statement did not include Argentina's army in the list of designated entities, focusing solely on the navy and air force.S3S4

The Iranian government referenced a 2019 law that permits it to impose similar measures against countries that support the U.S. designation of the IRGC as a terrorist organization. This law allows Iran to respond to what it views as hostile actions by other nations. In addition to the recent actions against Argentina, Iran has also labeled Britain's MI6 and its military branches as hostile organizations, indicating a broader pattern of Iran's retaliatory stance against perceived aggressions from Western nations.S1S4