(IsraelNN.com) Defense Minister Ehud Barak slammed the appointment of a new government minister by Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad over the weekend, noting that the new official had been involved in a terror attack on the Buenos Aires Jewish community center.

“The world must learn from this incident, and look into the intentions of the Iranian government, especially its leader, which has appointment a terrorist as its defense minister,” Barak added regarding Ahmad Vahidi's expected appointment Sunday.

Both Argentina and the United States have also criticized the appointment, which was announced Friday.

Argentina expressed outrage over the appointment, noting the terrorist was involved in the bombing of the Argentine Israeli Mutual Association (AMIA) Jewish Community Center, which left 85 dead and wounded more than 300 others in 1994. Teheran denies involvement in the attack.

The United States expressed its concern for the appointment. “If this report is true and if this man is confirmed as a cabinet minister and is wanted by Interpol for his involvement in a terrorist act, of course this would be disturbing,” State Department Spokesman Ian Kelly told reporters Friday. When asked what the U.S. would do if a criminal wanted by the Interpol would visit the U.S. as Iran’s Defense Minister, Kelly ducked the question.

"I'm really not sure. Just I'm not sure of the various regulations and immunities of a U.N. visit," he parried.

Ahmadinejad's media advisor accused both the U.S. and Argentina of conspiring in a "Zionist plot" in response to the criticism. The Iranian president's media advisor, Akbar Javanfekr told the AFP news agency, "Why didn't they bring this up in the past? Vahidi was a deputy defense minister and this is a very senior political position... Therefore it seems that this is a new trick being planned and is basically a Zionist plot."