Israel today welcomed Colombia's decision to cut off diplomatic relations with Iran and to designate the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps as a terrorist group.
© GIL COHEN-MAGEN/AFP via Getty Images
25/09/2026
by
Lusa
“ I congratulate Colombia and President Abelardo de la Espriella for breaking diplomatic relations with the Iranian regime,” said Israeli diplomacy leader Gideon Saar in a social media publication.
He described Bogota’s decision as “a clear stance against terrorism, narcoterrorism and Iran’s dangerous nuclear ambitions”.
“ The free world must remain united against the Iranian regime,” he added, quoted by the Spanish agency EFE.
The Colombian Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed on Thursday that Bogota formally broke diplomatic relations with Iran on 19 September, while maintaining consular relations.
The government of Espriella justified the decision for reasons linked to “national and hemispheric security”, as well as the “fight against transnational crime”.
Bogota considered that the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, the armed arm of the Tehran regime, “represents a serious danger to international peace and security” to designate it as a terrorist group.
“ This group represses the Iranian population and carries out attacks on covert operations beyond Iran’s borders,” he said.
Colombia and Iran had diplomatic relations since 28 April 1975, although there were interruptions in the level of representation.
The break occurs after a turn of Colombian foreign policy with Espriella, in the presidency since August, an extreme-right-wing entrepreneur confessing to American counterparts, Donald Trump, and Argentinean, Javier Milei.
The change, with a closer approach to the United States, included the re-establishment of relations with Israel, cut off during Gustavo Petro's (left) mandate in May 2024, due to the Israeli military offensive in Gaza.
Israel’s ambassador to Bogotá, Vivian Aisén, also welcomed the decision and said she trusted that “the measure, including the departure of the Iranian ambassador from the country, will help strengthen the security of the Colombian population.”.
Iran's declared enemy, Israel launched an offensive against large-scale military personnel against Tehran in conjunction with the United States on 28 February.
Iran responded with the blockade of strategic oil trade routes and attacks against countries in the region, extending the war to several countries in the Middle East.