(JTA) — Iran said it will cooperate with Argentina’s investigation into the 1994 bombing of the AMIA Jewish center in Buenos Aires while denying responsibility for the blast.
The Islamic Republic announced its willingness to cooperate in a statement issued Saturday by its Foreign Ministry that condemned the attack and offered condolences to the families of the 85 people killed. Some 300 people also were injured.
The Iranian Foreign Ministry also offered to hold "constructive dialogue" with Argentina to "shed all possible light" on the case, according to the statement carried by Iran’s official IRNA news agency.
Jewish leaders told JTA that they will respond to the Iranian offer on Monday during the main public event to mark the 17th anniversary of the attack.
Argentine Prosecutor Alberto Nisman told JTA on Sunday that "if Iran really wants to collaborate, it must bring to justice all the suspected Iranians instead of releasing declarations empty of real content.” Iran continues to deny any link to the bombing.
Though Argentina has accused the Iranian government of directing the bombing, and the Lebanon-based terror group Hezbollah of carrying it out, no arrests have been made in the case. Six Iranians have been on the Interpol international police agency’s most wanted list since 2007 in connection with the bombing, including the current Iranian defense minister, Gen. Ahmed Vahidi.
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