The Argentine Ministry of Foreign Affairs, International Trade and Worship formally notified the Iranian embassy in Buenos Aires on April 2, 2026, that Chargé d'affaires Mohsen Soltani Tehrani has been declared persona non grata. The diplomatic order requires Soltani Tehrani to depart Argentine territory within 48 hours. This decision marks the most significant rupture in bilateral relations since the aftermath of the 1994 bombing of the Asociación Mutual Israelita Argentina (AMIA) cultural center.
The expulsion was triggered by a series of statements issued by the Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs that the administration of President Javier Milei characterized as false, offensive, and an unacceptable interference in domestic affairs. Tensions reached a breaking point earlier this week when Argentina officially added the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) to its Public Registry of Persons and Entities Linked to Acts of Terrorism and their Financing (RePET). In response, Tehran issued a communique accusing the Argentine government of acting as a proxy for foreign powers and warned of unspecified consequences for the move.
Official statements from the Argentine government noted that the expulsion was necessary to defend national sovereignty and uphold the integrity of the country’s judicial and security findings regarding the IRGC’s activities. The IRGC designation aligns Argentina with the United States, Canada, and Israel, reflecting a fundamental shift in the country’s foreign policy under the Milei administration. Since taking office, Milei has prioritized strategic alliances with Western democracies and distanced Argentina from the previous administration's attempts to maintain a neutral or cooperative stance with Tehran.
Geopolitically, this move solidifies Argentina's position within the Inter-American Treaty of Reciprocal Assistance (TIAR) framework regarding counter-terrorism. It also follows Argentina's formal rejection of an invitation to join the BRICS bloc, which includes Iran as a member. The diplomatic freeze comes amid ongoing legal proceedings in Argentine courts concerning the 1994 AMIA attack, which killed 85 people. In April 2024, Argentina’s highest criminal court ruled that Iran had ordered the attack and that Hezbollah had carried it out, labeling the incident a crime against humanity.
While diplomatic relations between the two nations have remained at the level of chargé d'affaires for years—without full ambassadorial representation—this expulsion effectively shutters high-level communication. The Iranian embassy in Buenos Aires has not yet issued a formal response to the 48-hour deadline, though state media in Tehran has condemned the action as a violation of international diplomatic norms. Security around Jewish community centers and the Israeli embassy in Buenos Aires has been heightened following the announcement.