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Iran designates Argentina's navy and air force as 'terrorist organizations'

Reuters

DUBAI, Nov 11 (Reuters) - Tehran ‌has designated Argentina's navy and air force as "terrorist organizations," Iran's Foreign Ministry ​said ‌on Wednesday, in a reciprocal move following ‌Buenos Aires' designation of the Islamic Revolutionary Guards as a terrorist entity in April.

Argentina had ‌designated Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) as a terrorist organization, following a push from US President Donald Trump's administration for allies to do ⁠so.

Iran's Foreign Ministry said in a statement ‌on Wednesday that Tehran ⁠considers the Argentinian air force and navy terrorist ​organizations "based on the principle of reciprocity".

"It is evident that the responsibility for all consequences ​arising from this matter will lie ​with ‌the Argentine government," the ministry added, without elaborating. It ​made no mention of Argentina's army.

Argentina ⁠said in April that the ‌measure it took ​against Iran's IRGC was ​due to its backing for Lebanon-based Hezbollah, which Buenos Aires blames for the deadliest bombing in the South American nation's history, a ‌1994 attack on the AMIA Jewish community centre in the Argentinian capital that killed ‌85 and ​injured hundreds.

The IRGC is an elite military force that protects Shi'ite Muslim clerical rule in Iran and controls large parts of Iran's economy.

(Reporting ‌by Elwely Elwelly; editing by Lincoln Feast.)