DATE=5/20/98
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-232519
TITLE=ARGENTINA / IRAN UPDATE (L ONLY)
BYLINE=GEORGE MEEK
DATELINE=RIO DE JANEIRO
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: ARGENTINA HAS TIGHTENED SECURITY, BRACING FOR POSSIBLE
TERRORIST ACTS TRIGGERED BY THE DIPLOMATIC CRISIS WITH IRAN.
ARGENTINA AND IRAN HAVE VIRTUALLY SUSPENDED DIPLOMATIC RELATIONS
BECAUSE OF ARGENTINE ALLEGATIONS IRAN WAS BEHIND A 1994 BOMB
ATTACK IN BUENOS AIRES. WE HAVE DETAILS FROM CORRESPONDENT
GEORGE MEEK IN OUR SOUTH AMERICA BUREAU.
TEXT: ARGENTINE INTERIOR MINISTER CARLOS CORACH SAYS SECURITY
HAS BEEN INCREASED AT POSSIBLE TERRORIST TARGETS IN THE
COUNTRY'S LARGE JEWISH COMMUNITY, AND IN BORDER AREAS, ESPECIALLY
NEAR BRAZIL AND PARAGUAY.
THE MEASURES WERE ORDERED FOLLOWING THE DEPARTURE OF FOUR IRANIAN
DIPLOMATS TUESDAY, LEAVING ONLY CHARGE D'AFFAIRES ABDOLRAHIM
SADATIFAR. TEHRAN RADIO SAYS HE WILL BE RECALLED FOR
CONSULTATIONS, AND IRAN IS CONSIDERING A TOTAL BREAK IN
DIPLOMATIC RELATIONS.
ARGENTINA SAID FRIDAY HIS GOVERNMENT IS REDUCING ITS DIPLOMATIC
REPRESENTATION IN THE IRANIAN CAPITAL TO ONE PERSON.
LAST WEEK ARGENTINA ARRESTED EIGHT IRANIANS SUSPECTED OF
INVOLVEMENT IN THE BOMB ATTACK ON THE JEWISH CULTURAL CENTER IN
BUENOS AIRES, WHICH KILLED 86 PEOPLE AND WOUNDED HUNDREDS OF
OTHERS.
THE SUSPECTS SAID THE FORMER CULTURAL ATTACHE OF THE IRANIAN
EMBASSY IN BUENOS AIRES, MOHSSEN RABBANI, WAS INVOLVED IN
PLANNING THE BOMBING. HE WAS EXPELLED FROM ARGENTINA IN
DECEMBER. A FORMER IRANIAN SPY LIVING IN THE UNITED STATES AS A
POLITICAL REFUGEE, MANOUCHER MOATAMER, HAS ALSO IMPLICATED MR.
RABBANI.
THE UNITED STATES, ISRAEL, AND JEWISH ORGANIZATIONS IN ARGENTINA
ACCUSE PRO-IRANI MILITANTS OF THE ATTACK ON THE CULTURAL CENTER
AND THE BOMBING OF THE ISRAELI EMBASSY IN BUENOS AIRES IN 1992,
WHICH KILLED 29 PEOPLE. IRAN HAS REPEATEDLY DENIED INVOLVEMENT
IN BOTH INCIDENTS, AND SAYS ARGENTINA HAS BEEN UNDULY INFLUENCED
BY PRESSURE FROM THE UNITED STATES AND ISRAEL IN THE CASE.
THE DIRECTOR OF THE U-S FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION, LOUIS
FREEH, MET LAST WEEK IN BUENOS AIRES WITH JUDGE JUAN JOSE
GALEANO, WHO IS INVESTIGATING THE CULTURAL CENTER BOMBING. MR.
FREEH SAID NEXT MONTH THE F-B-I WILL GIVE ARGENTINA ITS REPORT OF
THE MATTER. (SIGNED)
NEB/GM/RAE
20-May-98 2:07 PM EDT (1807 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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