Argentina’s president has taken a decisive step to label Iran’s elite Quds Force as a terrorist organization, citing both historic bombings on Argentine soil and recent allegations of mass killings of protesters in Iran. The move signals a sharp escalation in Buenos Aires’ posture toward Tehran, and it could ripple through international efforts to isolate Iran’s Revolutionary Guard network.
On Saturday, Argentine President Javier Milei signed a decree formally proscribing the Quds Force, the overseas arm of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, along with thirteen individuals tied to the unit. The decree states that the Quds Force is dedicated to training operatives for terrorist attacks abroad and frames the designation as a response to past acts of violence that directly struck Argentina. The decree points to the 1992 bombing of the Israeli embassy in Buenos Aires and the 1994 attack on the AMIA Jewish community center, describing the nation as a victim of the Quds Force’s operations.
The AMIA bombing remains Argentina’s deadliest terror attack, killing 85 people and injuring 300. The embassy bombing in 1992 killed 29. The decree notes that these attacks have long been linked to Iran’s Revolutionary Guard and that the Quds Force has now been added to Argentina’s Public Registry of Persons and Entities Linked to Acts of Terrorism and Its Financing. The move is designed to impose financial sanctions and operational constraints on the group, restricting its ability to operate and preventing Argentina’s financial system from being used to support its activities.
Argentina’s decree also singles out Ahmad Vahidi, who led the Quds Force from 1989 to 1998, asserting his involvement in the AMIA bombing and noting that he is the subject of an INTERPOL red notice. The decree criticized Iran for failing to cooperate with prosecution efforts and pointed out that Vahidi has since been promoted to deputy commander of the Revolutionary Guard. The Argentine government’s statement frames his continued advancement as evidence of Iran’s protection of individuals implicated in terrorism.
President Milei’s decision represents a clear shift in Argentina’s foreign policy, aligning Buenos Aires more closely with global efforts to pressure Iran’s security apparatus. It also underscores the enduring impact of the AMIA and embassy bombings, which continue to shape Argentina’s security and diplomatic agenda more than three decades later. By moving to officially label the Quds Force as a terrorist organization, Argentina has not only reopened old wounds but has also escalated a diplomatic confrontation with Tehran, signaling that the country will now treat the Revolutionary Guard’s overseas arm as a sanctioned entity with direct implications for national security and international finance.
