In an unprecedented legal development that could redefine international efforts to hold state actors accountable for terrorism, Argentina’s chief prosecutor in the investigation of the 1994 Jewish community center bombing has formally requested an arrest warrant for Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei. The request, submitted to Argentina’s judiciary this week and reported by newspaper Clarín, calls on Interpol to detain Khamenei and extradite him to Argentina for trial over his alleged role in the bombing, which killed 85 people at the Asociación Mutual Israelita Argentina (AMIA) in Buenos Aires.
The move marks the most significant escalation yet in Argentina’s decades-long quest for justice in a case that exposed the global reach of Iranian-backed terror. It also signals a historic break from previous judicial practice, which afforded Iranian leaders diplomatic immunity regardless of mounting evidence linking them to the attack. Prosecutor Sebastián Basso’s application is based on what he describes as new evidence tying Khamenei and other senior officials in the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) directly to the planning, decision, and execution of the attack.
The AMIA Bombing: A Defining Case of State Terror
The AMIA bombing on July 18, 1994, remains the deadliest terrorist attack on Argentine soil and one of the largest massacres of Jews since the Holocaust. Investigations quickly identified Hezbollah, operating as an Iranian proxy, as the operational arm. Multiple intelligence agencies have since traced logistical and command links back to the IRGC and Iranian government officials, arguing the attack was intended to intimidate Jewish and Western interests far beyond the Middle East.
Despite extensive evidence, Argentina struggled over three decades to charge those most responsible. The effort was repeatedly undermined by allegations of political manipulation, lack of judicial independence, and external pressure. The 2015 murder of prosecutor Alberto Nisman—who accused Argentine leaders of conspiring to shield Iran from prosecution—galvanized public outrage and intensified scrutiny of the state’s failures.
Legal and Diplomatic Shift
Prosecutor Basso’s recent filing seeks to overturn prior legal positions that Iran’s supreme leader and other high officials enjoyed immunity. Citing a folder of intelligence, witness testimony, and international cooperation, Basso’s office claims to establish Khamenei’s direct involvement. The request aligns with the broader principle of universal jurisdiction for crimes of terror, marking a legal watershed moment not just for Argentina but for global counterterrorism efforts.
Argentine judicial sources acknowledge the practical challenges of arresting Khamenei, who rarely travels outside Iran. Nevertheless, the warrant would have major diplomatic repercussions, limiting Khamenei’s and other Iranian officials’ ability to travel internationally and putting new pressure on governments and global agencies to take a clear stand against state-sponsored terror.
International Responses and Context
Israel, which has long argued that Iran wields Hezbollah and other proxies to export terrorism worldwide, welcomed the judicial shift. Israeli intelligence consistently links the mechanisms used in the AMIA bombing to contemporary threats facing Israeli and Jewish communities globally—from attacks in Europe to cross-border rocket campaigns by Hamas and Hezbollah, which remain Iranian-backed and committed to Israel’s destruction.
The United States has similarly documented the chain of Iranian command leading to the 1994 attack, applying sanctions on the IRGC and Iranian officials implicated in supporting global terrorism. For Washington, Buenos Aires, and Jerusalem alike, Argentina’s legal move is seen as a crucial recognition that terrorism implemented at the highest levels of state power must be confronted at every opportunity.
Ongoing Global Security Impact
The AMIA attack, and Iran’s refusal to submit suspects to justice, remain at the center of wider debates over impunity for state-sponsored terror. The same IRGC apparatus that oversaw AMIA continues to fund and arm groups such as Hamas in Gaza and Hezbollah in Lebanon—central players in recent hostilities, including the October 7th massacre against Israel and ongoing attacks against Israeli civilians.
Argentina’s decision comes amid growing international scrutiny of Iranian activity far from its borders—including attacks on diplomatic missions, assassinations, and plots across five continents. The persistent threat posed by Iran’s axis of terror underscores why a legal precedent targeting Khamenei may resonate well beyond South America, potentially inspiring similar legal strategies among other victims of state-directed violence.
Conclusion
While the prospect of Khamenei standing trial in Argentina remains unlikely, the step taken by Argentina’s prosecutor represents a profound shift. By seeking to override the shield of state immunity and affirm the principle of accountability for terrorism, Buenos Aires is underscoring a new global determination to confront persistent threats. For Israel and its allies, the warrant request is a critical piece in the broader campaign against Iranian-backed terrorism—a campaign whose outcome will shape the security and justice not only for the Jewish state, but for all nations threatened by the machinery of state terror.
