Iranian President Mohammad Khatami said today that Iran will take "strong action" over the arrest of its ex-ambassador to Argentina in connection with the bombing of a Jewish center in Buenos Aires in 1994.
Ex-envoy Hadi Soleimanpour, 47, was arrested in Britain on Thursday after Argentina requested his extradition in connection with the AMIA Jewish Community Center blast that killed 85 people.
Iran has called for Soleimanpour's immediate release and calls the case is politically motivated, a charge dismissed by Britain. Iran said Saturday it was cutting economic and cultural ties with Argentina because of the arrest.
"The Iranian government will take strong action on this issue," the president said in remarks broadcast on state television, but gave few details about what that would involve.
Khatami said he had demanded an immediate apology from Britain and said the Foreign Ministry would summon the British charge d'affaires in Tehran for a second time.
"The Islamic Republic of Iran is sensitive about all of its citizens, particularly those who have responsibility, and it will not compromise on this," Khatami said.
Britain's charge d'affaires Matthew Gould said he had told Iranian Foreign Ministry officials yesterday that Soleimanpour's arrest was not politically motivated, and that the court's decision was independent of the British government.
Diplomats said the Iran's cutting of economic ties could affect Argentinian exports to Iran of wheat, sunflower oil, rice and other foodstuffs.
Soleimanpour entered Britain on a student visa in February last year to study at Durham University.
Tehran denies any involvement in the Buenos Aires bombing and withdrew its ambassador from Argentina soon after the incident to protest against the allegation.