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Argentina requests arrest in Qatar of senior Iranian official

Photo: Daniel Luna / AFP

AFP

Argentina on Monday called on Qatar to arrest a visiting Iranian vice president over his alleged responsibility for the deadly 1994 bombing of a Buenos Aires Jewish center.

Iran’s vice president for economic affairs, Mohsen Rezai, is wanted by Argentinian special prosecutors for alleged participation in the planning of the July 18, 1994 bomb attack against the Argentine Israelite Mutual Association, or AMIA, which killed 85 people and wounded 300.

Special prosecutors submitted a petition to Argentina’s foreign ministry calling for all appropriate diplomatic levers to be pulled, noting an outstanding Interpol red alert against Rezai as well as newspaper clippings mentioning his visit to Qatar, according to the official Telam news agency.

A diplomatic source told AFP that the foreign ministry had granted the special prosecutor’s request after confirming Rezai’s presence in the Gulf country.

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The ministry “requested the collaboration of Interpol for the arrest,” while Foreign Minister Santiago Cafiero “instructed the Argentine ambassador in Doha… to communicate urgently with the Qatari Foreign Ministry and report on the situation,” the diplomatic source told AFP.

Last January, the Argentine government voiced its anger at Rezai’s presence during the inauguration of Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega, and had also  condemned the Iranian’s appointment as vice president in August 2021.

The government of President Alberto Fernandez said at the time that the appointment constituted “an affront to Argentine justice and to the victims of the brutal terrorist attack against the AMIA.”

Rezai, who was commander of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps at the time of the attack, is part of a group of high-ranking Iranian officials accused by Argentina of masterminding the attack on the Jewish center. 

In 1992, the Israeli embassy in Buenos Aires had been the target of another attack that left 29 dead and 200 wounded, and for which no one has ever been held accountable.

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Argentina has the largest Jewish community in Latin America, with some 300,000 members.

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International

Portuguese Authorities Seize 2.6 Tons of Cocaine Worth More Than $550 Million in Drug Bust

Italian financial police reported Monday that Portuguese authorities intercepted a speedboat carrying more than 2.6 tons of cocaine, with an estimated street value exceeding $550 million.

Four people — two Spanish nationals, one Albanian citizen, and a man from Gibraltar — were arrested in connection with the operation, according to Italian authorities.

The vessel was intercepted off the coast of Lisbon by Portugal’s maritime police following an investigation led by Italian authorities.

Italian financial police estimated that the seized shipment had a street value of approximately 500 million euros ($570 million), making it one of the largest drug seizures reported in the region in recent years.

Portuguese authorities said the interception took place on Thursday, about 90 kilometers (50 nautical miles) southwest of Cape Espichel, during an operation targeting international drug trafficking routes.

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International

U.S. and Iran Maintain Ceasefire as Trump Expresses Optimism Over New Talks

U.S. President Donald Trump said Monday that there are “good chances” of reaching an agreement with Iran, as both sides maintained a ceasefire for the third consecutive day following weeks of escalating hostilities.

Trump expressed optimism about the possibility of resuming diplomatic negotiations aimed at ending the conflict, which began in late February and has raised international concerns over its impact on global markets and energy supplies.

The fighting has remained suspended since Saturday, after the United States resumed airstrikes against Iran amid a dispute over control of the Strait of Hormuz, a key route for global oil shipments. The renewed military action had previously caused the collapse of an earlier ceasefire agreement.

Asked about the prospects for negotiations aboard Air Force One, Trump said: “I have a lot of patience… We’ll see what happens. I think there are good chances that something could happen.”

The U.S. president also highlighted Washington’s military capabilities, saying: “We have a lot of ammunition,” while adding that he would like to have more resources due to U.S. support for Ukraine.

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U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Mike Waltz said Trump was allowing diplomatic efforts more time, explaining that the president was “giving some space to the talks” while maintaining that Washington remains prepared to take action if necessary.

Meanwhile, tensions continue in other areas of the Middle East. Saudi Arabia reported that it intercepted drones launched from Iraq by groups allied with Tehran and urged the Iraqi government to take measures to prevent further attacks.

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International

Police Investigate After Remains of Five Newborns Found in French Apartment

French authorities have opened a murder investigation after the discovery of human remains believed to belong to five newborn babies inside an apartment in the historic center of a city, the local prosecutor’s office reported Monday night.

According to prosecutors, a 32-year-old woman had given birth at home on Sunday to a healthy baby before being taken to a hospital for medical care.

The discovery was made after the woman’s 32-year-old partner began searching the residence after reportedly learning, once again and at a late stage, that she had been pregnant.

During the search, the man found what appeared to be human remains and informed the hospital, which then alerted prosecutors.

A forensic doctor determined that the remains likely belonged to five newborn infants. Authorities have not yet established the circumstances or motive behind the case.

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Investigators have not been able to interview the mother, who remains hospitalized following the delivery.

Prosecutors also confirmed that the couple has two other children, aged eight and nine years old. The investigation remains ongoing as authorities work to clarify the events surrounding the discovery.

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