Argentinian prosecutor Sebastian Basso has requested the arrest of Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei for his alleged role in the 1994 bombing of a Jewish community centre in Buenos Aires, which killed 85 people and remains the deadliest terrorist attack in Argentina's history, Clarin reported.

According to the report, Basso, who replaced the late Alberto Nisman as lead prosecutor in the 1994 bombing case, petitioned federal judge Daniel Rafecas to issue both national and international arrest warrants for Khamenei. The prosecutor also called for trials in absentia for other Iranian and Lebanese suspects implicated in the attack.

Argentina has become increasingly friendly with Iran’s arch-enemy, Israel, in recent years following the visit from President Javier Milei to Jerusalem and has backed Tel Aviv over Tehran. 

Iran has not yet responded to the Argentine move, with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to formally respond to the request for the top cleric's extradition. 

This significant legal move follows the passage of legislation championed by President Javier Milei last year that permits trials in absentia for serious crimes. According to Infobae, Judge Rafecas must rule on the prosecutor's request within days.

The list of high-profile individuals accused in the bombing includes former Iranian President Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani (now deceased), former Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Velayati, and former Intelligence Minister Ali Fallahian.

Additional suspects named are former IRGC commander Mohsen Rezaee, former Quds Force commander Ahmad Vahidi, former Iranian diplomats Ahmad Reza Asghari and Mohsen Rabbani, and the late Hezbollah operations chief Imad Mughniyeh.

The development marks a potentially pivotal moment in Argentina's decades-long pursuit of justice for the Asociación Mutual Israelita Argentina (AMIA) community centre bombing, something Iran has consistently denied having anything to do with.

Seeking the arrest of Iran's Supreme Leader represents an escalation in Argentina's approach to the case and could further strain diplomatic relations between the two countries.

At the same time, this move would align with President Javier Milei's stated foreign policy priorities of strengthening ties with the US and Israel and taking a harder stance against Iran.

In the face of 10% duties on Argentine imports by the US, Milei has resolved to adjust Argentine regulations to accommodate this change, thereby highlighting Argentina’s geopolitical stance.