Iran has designated Argentina’s navy and air force as “terrorist organizations” in a reciprocal move following Buenos Aires’ decision to blacklist the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). Iran’s Foreign Ministry announced the decision on Wednesday, November 11, describing Argentina’s action as hostile and warning that the Argentine government would bear responsibility for any consequences arising from the move.
In its statement, Tehran argued that the IRGC is an integral component of Iran’s official armed forces and accused Argentina of violating fundamental principles of international law by designating it as a terrorist organization. Iran consequently placed Argentina’s navy and air force under the same classification, while notably making no mention of the Argentine army.
The Iranian decision invokes a 2019 parliamentary law titled Countermeasure in Response to the United States’ Designation of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps as a Terrorist Organization. The legislation provides for reciprocal measures against countries that comply with or support Washington’s designation of the IRGC. Tehran says Argentina’s decision falls directly within the scope of this law.
The diplomatic confrontation follows Argentina’s March 31 decision under President Javier Milei to designate the IRGC as a terrorist organization and include it in the country’s public registry of entities linked to terrorism and its financing. Buenos Aires justified the measure by citing alleged Iranian involvement in the 1992 bombing of the Israeli occupation Embassy in Buenos Aires and the 1994 bombing of the AMIA Jewish community centre, which killed 85 people and injured hundreds. Argentina has accused Iran and Lebanese resistance of responsibility for the attacks, allegations Tehran rejects.
Argentina’s decision was welcomed by Israeli occupation Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar, reflecting the wider diplomatic alignment surrounding the designation. The move also came amid pressure from the administration of US President Donald Trump for international partners to take action against the Iranian military organisation.
Tehran has strongly rejected Buenos Aires’ accusations, describing the designation as a politically motivated and hostile decision influenced by Washington and the Israeli occupation. Iranian officials have characterised the measure as an insult to the Iranian nation and warned that Argentina would be responsible for the diplomatic consequences of escalating the confrontation.
The IRGC occupies a central position in Iran’s military and political structure, with responsibilities extending beyond conventional military operations. Its designation by Argentina therefore carries implications beyond a bilateral dispute, particularly as Tehran considers the move an attack on an official branch of its armed forces rather than an ordinary political or diplomatic sanction.
The reciprocal designations mark a further deterioration in relations between Tehran and Buenos Aires, transforming an already contentious dispute over the 1990s bombings into a direct confrontation between the two countries’ military institutions. Although the practical consequences of Iran’s decision remain unclear, the exchange of terrorism designations underscores the widening international diplomatic tensions surrounding Iran and the growing influence of Washington’s campaign to isolate Tehran.
