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Teheran sees 'plot' in ex-envoy's arrest

By Hasan Suroor

LONDON AUG 25. A diplomatic row has broken out between Britain and Iran over the arrest here last week of a former Iranian Ambassador to Argentina, Hade Soleimanpur, in connection with the bombing of a Jewish community centre in Buenos Aires in 1994 in which 85 people were killed.

The Iranian Government has reacted with anger and demanded an apology from Britain for what it has described as a "politically motivated'' arrest. The Iranian President, Mohammed Khatami, stepped into the row threatening "strong action'' if Mr. Soleimanpur was extradited to Argentina to face terror charges. He accused unidentified "forces and lobbies'' of levelling "baseless and unfounded'' allegations against Teheran. His intervention came after the British charge d'affaires in Teheran, Matthew Gould, was summoned to the Iranian foreign office and told that Britain must use its influence with Argentina to have the case dropped.

Mr. Gould was quoted as saying that he assured the Iranian authorities that Mr. Soleimanpur's arrest was not politically motivated but "part of a judicial process''. The Iranian radio said a "new plot is being hatched against Iran by the triangle of America, Britain and Israel with the cooperation of Argentina''.

Mr. Soleimanpur, who arrived in Britain in February on a student visa, was arrested last Thursday following an extradition request from the Argentinian Government, which has been given until Sept. 20 to file extradition papers to Britain.

He has consistently denied the allegation and told the police at the time of his arrest that he was being held on a `false' charge. The row comes at a time when the diplomatic relations between London and Teheran had started to improve.

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