Iran designates Argentine Navy, Air Force as terrorist organizations

TEHRAN, Nov. 11 (Xinhua) -- Iran's Foreign Ministry announced on Wednesday that the country has designated the Argentine Navy and Air Force as terrorist organizations.

The move came in response to the Argentine government's decision in late March to designate Iran's Islamic Revolution Guard Corps (IRGC) as a terrorist entity, the ministry said in a statement.

The ministry described Argentina's decision as "hostile and being in contradiction with the fundamental principles of international law," saying Iran's move was based on the principle of reciprocity and a domestic law on reciprocal action against the U.S. designation of the IRGC as a terrorist organization.

The law calls for equivalent countermeasures against countries that comply with or support Washington's actions against Tehran, the statement said.

The ministry held the Argentine government responsible for all consequences arising from the decision, stressing that the IRGC is an integral part of Iran's armed forces.

The office of Argentine President Javier Milei announced on March 31 that Argentina had designated the IRGC as a terrorist organization.

The decision followed calls by U.S. President Donald Trump's administration for its allies to designate the IRGC and Hezbollah as terrorist organizations.

The Argentine government said the measure had been adopted in response to the IRGC's support for Hezbollah, a Lebanese armed group, which Buenos Aires blames for a deadly 1994 bombing attack on the AMIA Jewish community center in the capital city. The attack killed 85 people and injured over 300 others.

Earlier this month, the Iranian Foreign Ministry announced that Tehran had designated Britain's Royal Navy, Royal Air Force and Secret Intelligence Service as "terrorist and hostile" entities over the British government's anti-Iran actions.