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Bolivia boots visiting Iranian minister after Argentina complains

By the CNN Wire Staff
Ahmad Vahidi is wanted in Argentina for his alleged role in the bombing of a Jewish community center in Buenos Aires in 1994.
Ahmad Vahidi is wanted in Argentina for his alleged role in the bombing of a Jewish community center in Buenos Aires in 1994.
STORY HIGHLIGHTS
  • Iranian Defense Minister Ahmad Vahidi was on an official visit to Bolivia
  • Argentina has an arrest warrant for him
  • He is wanted in connection with a bombing that killed 85 people
RELATED TOPICS
  • Bolivia
  • Iran

(CNN) -- The Bolivian government expelled an Iranian minister to avoid a diplomatic rift with Argentina, the country's foreign minister said.

Iranian Defense Minister Ahmad Vahidi is wanted in Argentina for his alleged role in planning the bombing of a Jewish community center in Buenos Aires in 1994 that killed 85 people. Interpol has issued a "red notice" for Vahidi, which seeks other governments' help in detaining him for possible extradition.

An Argentine umbrella organization for the Jewish community, DAIA, demanded that the Bolivians arrest Vahidi once they learned of his official visit. Bolivia opted to ask him to immediately leave the country instead.

In a letter to his Argentine counterpart, Bolivian Foreign Minister David Choquehuanca said that Bolivia was "unfortunately unaware" of Vahidi's history.

Bolivia values its relations with Argentina, and acted for that reason, he wrote.

Bolivia asked Vahidi "to immediately abandon Bolivian territory and in this way demonstrate with clarity that Bolivia does not wish to interfere with any legal proceedings that could exist."

The letter didn't address the Interpol notice and why the country had not acted upon it and arrested Vahidi.

Vahidi was in Bolivia at the invitation of the country's defense ministry to attend the inauguration of a military academy for members of the Bolivarian Alternative for the Peoples of Our Americas, or ALBA. Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez and his allies founded the group a few years ago in an attempt, they said, to counterbalance United States influence in Latin America.

Bolivian President Evo Morales also was present at the event.

In remarks during his visit to Bolivia, Vahidi said that Iran is prepared to "deliver a firm response" to any provocations from the United States, the state-run Press TV reported.