On this day twenty-five years ago, Hizballah—an Iranian proxy designated by the United States as a Foreign Terrorist Organization—bombed the Argentine-Israelite Mutual Association (AMIA) community center in Buenos Aires, Argentina, killing 85 innocent civilians and injuring hundreds more. The AMIA bombing, carried out by key Hizballah operatives and coordinated by Salman Raouf Salman, remains the deadliest terrorist attack in Argentina’s history. Today, at the Western Hemisphere Counterterrorism Ministerial in Buenos Aires, America’s counterterrorism partners from around the globe have gathered to commemorate this somber anniversary and to renew our shared commitment to jointly combat terrorism and its enablers. The United States stands with the people of Argentina and the Jewish community as we reflect upon that terrible day in Argentina’s history.

When President Donald J. Trump released the National Strategy for Counterterrorism in October 2018, he made a solemn promise to the American people to spare no effort to preserve the safety and security of the United States and its citizens. The United States and its partners throughout the Western Hemisphere will continue to take meaningful steps to ensure that our countries defend against the threat of terrorism and that we continue to do all that we can to protect our citizens.

Today’s Ministerial, hosted by the Government of Argentina and attended by members of my Administration, highlights the importance of our continued efforts to strengthen regional counterterrorism capabilities and enhance cooperation. Through these efforts, we will more effectively identify and disrupt terrorist threats and networks around the world.