Iran Strikes Back: Argentine Congressman Summoned to Tehran Over Emtrasur Aircraft Case
The Iranian crew, investigated by Argentina for espionage, now accuses one of their denouncers, legislator Gerardo Milman, of "kidnapping and torture."
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The case of the Emtrasur Cargo Boeing 747-300M, which kept Argentine authorities on edge in 2022, has resurfaced with a new international dimension. The aircraft's Iranian crew has filed a lawsuit in Tehran against Argentine Congressman Gerardo Milman (PRO party), one of the figures who promoted the judicial investigation in Argentina. The Iranian judiciary has summoned the legislator to a hearing on October 27.
The legal action, filed in a Tehran court, seeks "compensation and payment for direct and indirect damages." The plaintiffs, led by pilot Gholamreza Ghasemi, allege they suffered "illegal actions contrary to international obligations," and include serious accusations such as "kidnapping, torture, and physical and psychological abuse" during the 150 days they were detained in Argentina.
The crew's lawyer, Ali Mashayekhi, stated that the detention scenario was "created by the Zionist regime (Israel) and the United States" and that they will seek reparation for material and moral damages.
Ghasemi is a central figure in this complex web. According to reports from the U.S. FBI, the pilot has links to the Quds Force of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and Hezbollah. Furthermore, he is identified as an executive at Fars Air Qeshm, an Iranian airline sanctioned by the U.S. Treasury in 2019 for its alleged involvement in terrorist activities and logistical support for the IRGC and Mahan Air. Alongside Ghasemi, other crew members such as Mohammad Khosravi Araghi and Mahdi Meoufi are also listed as plaintiffs.
What happened to the Venezuelan-Iranian aircraft?
The Boeing 747-300M, registration YV3531, operated by the Venezuelan state-owned airline Emtrasur, was grounded at Ezeiza International Airport in Buenos Aires in June 2022. The Argentine judiciary detained the aircraft and part of its Iranian-Venezuelan crew on suspicion of links to international terrorism. After a lengthy legal process and a change of government in Argentina, the plane was handed over to the United States in February 2024, where it was ultimately dismantled.
Congressman Milman was one of the original complainants in the case handled by the federal courts of Lomas de Zamora, under Judge Federico Villena. His complaint was instrumental in keeping the crew in the country while the investigation proceeded.
The aircraft, previously owned by the sanctioned Mahan Air, was acquired by Emtrasur, a subsidiary of the Venezuelan state-owned Conviasa. Its detention in Argentina marked a point of high diplomatic tension. The resolution of the case accelerated after President Javier Milei took office, whose government aligned its foreign policy with the United States and Israel, and facilitated the transfer of the plane to U.S. authorities, complying with a seizure warrant from a U.S. court. The aircraft was flown to Miami, Florida, and subsequently scrapped.
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