BUENOS AIRES, Argentina (AP) — Iran lashed out at Argentina on Wednesday after the South American country sought the arrest of Iran's Interior Minister Ahmad Vahidi over his alleged involvement in the deadly 1994 bombing of a Buenos Aires Jewish community center.
Without mentioning Vahidi by name, Iran’s Foreign Ministry warned Argentina against “making baseless accusations against citizens of other countries.” The warning Wednesday came a day after Argentina demanded that Pakistan act on an Interpol red notice to arrest Vahidi during an official visit to Islamabad.
Vahidi, who is wanted by Interpol, cut his government trip to Southeast Asia short, making an unexpected return to Tehran Wednesday.
There was no immediate response from Pakistani authorities.
Argentina's renewed push to hold Iran accountable for the worst such attack in its history comes as right-wing President Javier Milei reshapes foreign policy to align more closely with Iran's bitter enemy, Israel, and as tensions surge between the Mideast foes.
In an apparent reference to Israel, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Nasser Kanani urged Argentina “not to be influenced by those who are enemies of our bilateral relations."
No one has been convicted for planning or carrying out the 1994 bombing that killed 85 people and wounded over 300 others. But in recent weeks — as Iran faces increasing global isolation and sanctions — Argentina has escalated efforts to condemn Iran and its overseas militant network for its alleged involvement. Iran has repeatedly denied any connection to the attack.
In a move cheered by Israel, Argentina's highest criminal court this month ruled the Iranian government had plotted the 1994 attack — as well as a 1992 bombing of the Israeli Embassy in Buenos Aires that killed 29 people. Judges singled out three former Iranian officials for their involvement in the Jewish community center attack — including Minister Vahidi who at the time led the Revolutionary Guard's expeditionary Quds Force. The court also accused the Iran-backed militant Hezbollah group of executing the attack.
Earlier this week Vahidi accompanied Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi to Islamabad, where he met with his Pakistani counterpart to discuss intelligence-sharing. Although expected to continue on with Raisi’s delegation to Sri Lanka, Vahidi abruptly turned back, raising speculation that Argentina's request had complicated his international travel.
He made a surprise appearance Wednesday at a Cabinet meeting in Tehran, where he praised his trip to Pakistan in interviews with state-linked Iranian news outlets. Meanwhile, President Raisi landed in Sri Lanka.
Argentine authorities said Tuesday they had coordinated with diplomats in Pakistan and India to request Vahidi’s detention and extradition to Buenos Aires. “They continue to hold positions of power with total impunity,” a government statement said. Kanani, the foreign minister spokesperson, accused Argentina of making “illegal and false requests” to defame Iran.
For years, Argentina has tried in vain to leverage Interpol red notices to press for the arrests of accused Iranian officials. The country's elusive quest for justice in the 1992 and 1994 bombings has been mired in controversy and alleged government coverups.
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FILE - Iran's Interior Minister Ahmad Vahidi briefs the media on elections in Tehran, Iran, March 4, 2024. Argentina sought the arrest of Vahidi on April 23, 2024, over his alleged involvement in the deadly 1994 bombing of Buenos Aires Jewish community center. (AP Photo/Vahid Salemi, File)
DALLAS (AP) — Luka Doncic struggled with his shot again thanks to his ailing right knee, and Kyrie Irving spent a bunch of energy playing defense.
Through all that, the co-stars of the Mavericks tag-teamed for a second-half surge that sent Dallas to the second round in their first postseason together.
Doncic had 28 points and 13 assists, Irving scored 28 of his 30 points after halftime and the Mavericks finished off the Los Angeles Clippers with a 114-101 victory Friday night.
With Irving alongside him this time, Doncic did what the Slovenian superstar couldn't three years earlier — close out the Clippers in Dallas in Game 6 of a first-round playoff series.
The fifth-seeded Mavericks beat the Clippers for the the first time in three first-round tries over the past five seasons and will open the Western Conference semifinals at the top seed, Oklahoma City, on Tuesday night.
“We’re pushing each other off the court to be better, and then when we get on the court it’s just like synchronicity,” Irving said. “It feels good.”
Paul George had 18 points and 11 rebounds for the Clippers, who won the first two times they played without Kawhi Leonard in the series but didn't have enough scoring punch in the last two he was sidelined by right knee inflammation.
James Harden had 16 points and 13 assists but was just 5 of 16 from the field and missed all six of his 3-pointers as LA was eliminated in the first round for the second consecutive season despite the early-season trade for the 10-time All-Star.
“A lot of emotions and things going through my mind right now,” Harden said.
Irving, added at the trade deadline last year for the kind of playoff run the Mavs hope they just started, spent plenty of time guarding Harden in the first half, when he had two points on just six shots.
The eight-time All-Star opened the second half with a layup to break a 52-52 tie, then Doncic hit a 3-pointer after going 0-for-7 from deep in the first half. Following an LA turnover, Irving hit a 3 for an eight-point lead after Dallas had lost a 13-point advantage in the second quarter.
The Mavs outscored the Clippers 35-20 in the third quarter — the same quarter that fueled the Game 5 win in Los Angeles for a chance to clinch — and pushed the lead to 20 early in the fourth.
Irving gave Dallas its biggest lead with a flashy four-point play when he hit a leaning 3-pointer as he was bumped by P.J. Tucker and made the free throw for a 106-82 lead.
The Clippers answered with an 11-2 run to get within 13 but never seriously threatened a big comeback in the final minutes after George, Harden and Ivica Zubac each played at least 22 minutes in the first half to get LA back in the game.
“It caught up with us, and you saw that in the third quarter and into the fourth,” coach Tyronn Lue said. “We just ran out of gas.”
Doncic, who also has dealt with illness in addition to a sore knee, was 9 of 26 from the field and just 1 of 10 from 3 while going 9 of 11 on free throws. Irving was 10 of 13 from the field after halftime.
“Terrible, man. I need some rest,” Doncic said before walking away from a TV interview — and into a three-day break.
Now Doncic will try at least to match his long playoff run of two years ago, when Dallas stunned Phoenix with a Game 7 blowout in the West semis before falling to eventual champ Golden State in five games in the West finals.
Norman Powell scored 20 points for the Clippers, and Zubac had 17 points and 11 rebounds.
P.J. Washington scored 14 points with some big 3-pointers for the Mavs, going 4 of 8 from deep, and Daniel Gafford had 13 points with several emphatic buckets down low.
“They’re very important when you look at the culture of our team,” Dallas coach Jason Kidd about the Mavs' pair of trade-deadline acquisitions. “Our defense changed when they got here. They’re not going to complain. You don’t have to run a play for them.”
Dallas' Maxi Kleber didn't return after spraining his right shoulder when he took a hard fall on a blocking foul against Amir Coffey on a drive in the first minute of the second quarter.
Kleber, whose 3-point shooting was a boost for Dallas in the series, returned to shoot free throws, making one of two before leaving at the next dead ball.
AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/NBA
Dallas Mavericks forward Maxi Kleber (42) crashes to the floor after being upended in front of Los Angeles Clippers center Ivica Zubac (40) and guard Amir Coffey during the first half of Game 6 of an NBA basketball first-round playoff series Friday, May 3, 2024, in Dallas. (AP Photo/Jeffrey McWhorter)
Los Angeles Clippers guard James Harden (1) drives against Dallas Mavericks guard Kyrie Irving (11) during the first half of Game 6 of an NBA basketball first-round playoff series Friday, May 3, 2024, in Dallas. (AP Photo/Jeffrey McWhorter)
Los Angeles Clippers guard James Harden (1) drives against Dallas Mavericks guard Kyrie Irving (11) during the first half of Game 6 of an NBA basketball first-round playoff series Friday, May 3, 2024, in Dallas. (AP Photo/Jeffrey McWhorter)
Dallas Mavericks guard Josh Green (8) slam dunks an alley oop from Mavericks' guard Luka Doncic, not pictured, over Los Angeles Clippers guard Norman Powell (24) as Clippers' center Ivica Zubac (40) and Mavericks' center Dereck Lively II (2) look on during the first half of Game 6 of an NBA basketball first-round playoff series Friday, May 3, 2024, in Dallas. (AP Photo/Jeffrey McWhorter)
Dallas Mavericks guard Luka Doncic (77) talk with head coach Jason Kidd, left, during the first half of Game 6 of an NBA basketball first-round playoff series against the Los Angeles Clippers, Friday, May 3, 2024, in Dallas. (AP Photo/Jeffrey McWhorter)
