News

Bolivia's foreign minister has issued an apology to Argentina after inviting a wanted Iranian terror suspect to an official ceremony.

David Choquehuanca offered his "deepest apologies" to his Argentine counterpart Hector Timerman for hosting Iran's defence minister at an event on Tuesday.

Ahmad Vahidi is believed to be the mastermind of the deadly 1994 bombing of the Buenos Aires Jewish-Argentine Mutual Association.

Eighty-five people died in the blast, which reduced the seven-floor building to a pile of rubble.

Argentina has sought Vahidi's extradition since 2007, so his presence at the inauguration ceremony for a Bolovian defence academy was controversial.

Mr Choquehuanca said the Iranian minister would leave Bolivia immediately, but there were calls from Jewish leaders in Argentina for the government to file a formal protest with Bolivia over the "provocation".