The regime in Tehran lashed out against Washington's stand over the appointment of a terror suspect as new Iranian defense minister. Ahmad Vahidi, who is wanted by the Argentinean judiciary in connection with a 1994 bombing against the AMIA Jewish center in Buenos Aires, was approved as President Ahmadinejad’s choice for the defense portfolio by the Iranian parliament last week. The Obama administration called the appointment of Vahidi a "step backward" for Iran.
On Sunday, Tehran hit back at the United States. "This attitude shows that America does not believe in democracy in other countries," Foreign Ministry spokesman Hassan Ghashghavi was quoted by media as saying. "We deplore America's stand in this case, and we think America had better not fall into the deceptive trap of global Zionism which spearheads terrorism. We advise the US government to respect Iran and the choice of its parliamentarians and correct its position."
Ghashghavi also dismissed Argentina's protests. "Argentine officials can make any claims they like, but for the past 15 years they have been unable to present one valid and convincing reason for Iranian involvement" in the attack.” At the time of the terrorist attack, Vahidi was a commander of Iran’s Revolutionary Guards.
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