The head of an influential committee in Iran's parliament said he believes the nominee for defence minister will be approved despite accusations he was involved in the 1994 bombing of a Jewish cultural centre in Argentina, the official IRNA news agency reported on Sunday.The backing of the foreign policy and national security committee raises the likelihood that Gen. Ahmad Vahidi will be confirmed as defence chief in a vote in the full legislature, which is expected to be held on Sept. 1.
His nomination last week by President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad angered Argentina, which accuses him of playing a key role in the Buenos Aires bombing. The United States, which has sought to reach out to Iran under President Barack Obama, has also said Vahidi's presence in the Cabinet would be disturbing.
The chairman of the parliamentary committee, Alaeddin Boroujerdi, said the allegations "will not have any negative impact on the assessment" of the nominee, who is currently a deputy defence minister. "Rather, it may increase his vote" in parliament, he said.
Boroujerdi rejected accusations that Vahidi was involved in the bombing.
Vahidi is one of five prominent Iranians sought by Argentina in the bombing, which killed 85 people. He was the commander of a special unit of Iran's Revolutionary Guard known as the Quds Force at the time of the attack. The force is responsible for the Guard's foreign operations.