Argentina expels Iran's diplomatic envoy: foreign ministry

Argentina on Thursday expelled Iran's diplomatic envoy following what the foreign ministry called "false, offensive and baseless accusations" by Tehran.

Mohsen Soltani Tehrani, Iran's charge d'affaires and counselor, was ordered to leave the country within 48 hours, the ministry said in a statement.

The expulsion came two days after Argentina -- where President Javier Milei is a close ally of US President Donald Trump -- designated Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps a "terrorist organization."

The expulsion order accused Iran of "obstructing justice" and said Argentina "will not tolerate affronts or interference."

The presidential office said the measure allows for the implementation of financial sanctions and other operational restrictions.

The IRGC is an elite military force whose purpose is to protect Shi'ite Muslim clerical rule in Iran. It controls large parts of Iran's economy.

Both the IRGC and Hezbollah are already designated as terrorist groups by the United States and some other countries.

The row reflects deep anger in Argentina over Iran's refusal to comply with arrest and extradition warrants related to the 1994 assault on an Argentine Israelite Mutual Association (AMIA) Jewish community center, which killed 85 people.

Argentina says Iran was also behind the truck bombing on March 17, 1992 of the Israeli embassy in the Argentine capital, killing 22 people and injuring more than 200.

Argentina is host to the largest Jewish community in Latin America, with nearly 300,000 people living mostly in Buenos Aires.

Days earlier, Argentina's government also designated Mexico's Jalisco New Generation Cartel as a terrorist organization, further aligning the government of President Javier Milei with Washington.