Iran News: Interior Minister Ahmad Vahidi Abruptly Returns Amid Fears of Interpol Warrant
Written by
Mahmoud Hakamian
April 25, 2024- Iranian regime’s Interior Minister Ahmad Vahidi poses for a photo-op during a site visit in a factory in Mashhad, northeast Iran
Following Argentina’s request to Interpol for the arrest of a top Iranian official allegedly involved in the bombing of the AMIA center in Buenos Aires, reports indicate that the accused abruptly halted his international trip and returned back to Iran.
Ahmad Vahidi, the former commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Quds Forces and a current Minister of Interior in the government of Ebrahim Raisi, was reportedly part of a delegation headed by Raisi to Sri Lanka when Argentina’s request for his arrest became public. However, Vahidi unexpectedly returned to Tehran, sparking speculations about the impact of Argentina’s request on his international travels.
According to Fox News, despite initially planning to continue with Raisi’s delegation, Vahidi’s sudden return suggests complications arising from Argentina’s request. His appearance at a Cabinet meeting in Tehran on Wednesday further fueled discussions about the situation.
On April 25, state media reported that Ahmad Vahidi, along with Tehran Governor Alireza Fakhri, deputy governors, and other city officials visited the “Shahid Borujerdi” project in District 18. Additionally, he was depicted during a site visit to a factory in Mashhad, northeast Iran.
Who is Iran’s New Interior Minister, Ahmad Vahidi?
The Argentine Judiciary issued an arrest warrant for his direct role in the July 1994 bombing of a Jewish Community Center in Argentina. He is on the EU-US sanctions lists.#Iran #ProsecuteRaisiNOW https://t.co/GDgCU5cX8k— NCRI-FAC (@iran_policy) September 8, 2021
Meanwhile, the regime’s Foreign Ministry attempted to dismiss this political embarrassment with mere rhetoric. Naser Kanaani, the spokesperson for the regime’s Foreign Ministry stated, “We recommend to the Argentine authorities to refrain from baseless accusations against citizens of other countries and not to let bilateral relations between Iran and Argentina fall victim to the agendas of enemies.”
In response to Argentina’s request, Pakistani and Sri Lankan governments were asked by Argentina to arrest Vahidi, who is wanted for his alleged involvement in the 1994 bombing of the AMIA center, which resulted in the deaths of 85 people.
The Argentine Foreign Ministry, in its statement released on Wednesday, reiterated its demand for the international arrest of those responsible for the AMIA bombing, including Vahidi, who has been enjoying systemic immunity from prosecution and continues to hold positions of power.
The incident underscores the international scrutiny faced by senior Iranian officials due to their alleged involvement in terrorism and human rights violations. Over ten members of Ebrahim Raisi’s cabinet, who assumed office in 2021, have been sanctioned by various countries worldwide. Raisi himself has been labeled a perpetrator by human rights organizations like Amnesty International for his role in the 1988 mass execution of political prisoners.
For more background information, please read the following article:
Iran News: Interior Minister Ahmad Vahidi Abruptly Returns Amid Fears of Interpol Warrant