BUENOS AIRES, Aug. 25 (Xinhua) -- Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad recently nominated Ahmad Vahidi for defense minister, though he is wanted by Interpol in connection with a deadly bombing in Argentina in 1994.

    Vahidi's nomination drew strong protests from Argentina but Iran shows no intention of withdrawing the appointment. Analysts say the mounting tensions between the two nations, including Iran's recent summoning of the top Argentine diplomat in Tehran to protest Argentina's allegations, poses a threat to Iran's long-term strategy in Latin America.

    DIPLOMATIC ROW

    Vahidi, Iran's deputy defense minister, was allegedly involved in the 1994 bombing of the Argentine-Israel Mutual Association in Buenos Aires that killed 85 people and injured about 200 others.

    Argentine authorities say the bombing of the Jewish cultural center was plotted by the Iranian regime in power at the time and was carried out by Hezbollah, the Lebanese Shiite armed group that has close ties with Iran. Iran has denied the allegations.

    Argentine authorities believe Vahidi played an "important role" in the bombing, the worst terrorist attack on a Jewish target outside Israel since World War II. Interpol issued a warrant for Vahidi's arrest in November 2007. Vahidi's assets in Argentina were frozen last December.

    Argentina and Iran withdrew their ambassadors from each other's capitals in 1994 after the attack.

    Buenos Aires expressed outrage at the nomination of Vahidi, condemning it as an insult to Argentina's judiciary and victims of the attack. The government has called for Iran's cooperation in the investigation and trials of Vahidi and other suspects.

    Iran, meanwhile, claims the Argentine government was being manipulated by Jewish groups and has no say in Iran's internal affairs.

    Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Hassan Qashqavi called Argentina's protests the result of "pressure, bribes and propaganda by Zionist lobbies," referring to Israel, the state-run Islamic Republic News Agency reported.

    SETBACK FOR IRAN'S STRATEGY

    In recent years, Iran has been committed to developing its relations with Latin America countries, especially with left-wing countries, such as Venezuela, Ecuador, Bolivia and Nigaragua. Iran and those countries share common interests in confronting American dominance, mapping out global energy strategies and developing civil nuclear technology.

    Iran's growing influence and activities in Latin America has raised serious concerns in the United States, which has always seen the region as being within its traditional power sphere.

    Iran's move also upset Israel, its arch-rival in the Middle East. Israeli Foreign Minister Avigdor Liberman visited Brazil, Argentina, Chile and Colombia in a bid to counter Iran's influence in the region.

    The ongoing diplomatic row has soured Iran's relations with other Latin American countries and has put its long-term strategy in jeopardy.

    As a regional power, Argentina has maintained good relationships with leftist Latin American countries, including Venezuela, Ecuador and Bolivia. Those counties will have to reconsider their relations with Iran if they want to keep close ties with Argentina.

    Ahmadinejad was recently expected to visit Brazil, Ecuador and other countries in the region. The foreign ministers of Brazil and Ecuador said Monday that the diplomatic row would not affect the visit, but they did not expect to see Vahidi as a delegation member.