Since the Israeli surprise attack on Iran, Jordan has been formulating its public stance with great caution. Official spokespeople harshly condemned the “Israeli aggression” and the “blatant violation of the sovereignty of a UN member state.” Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi spoke with his Iranian counterpart Abbas Araghchi and reiterated Jordan’s strong condemnation of Israel’s “dangerous escalation.”
However, in the same conversation, Safadi clarified to Araghchi that Jordan would not allow any harm to its sovereignty or its citizens—whether by Israel or Iran—and would act to thwart any attempt to penetrate its airspace, as it had done in response to Iranian attacks on Israel in April and October 2024. Jordan’s King Abdullah II also emphasized that his country wouldn’t serve as a battlefield in the conflict between Israel and Iran.
These declarations have been reflected in action: Since the beginning of the war, Jordanian fighter jets and air defense systems have intercepted Iranian drones and missiles that entered the kingdom’s airspace en route to Israel. While supporters of the pro-Iranian “Axis of Resistance” launched a campaign on social media against Jordan’s alleged siding with Israel, Jordanian regime officials justified the interceptions as necessary to protect its national sovereignty and prevent any harm to populated areas.
In pro-government Jordanian newspapers such as al-Rai, criticism was leveled at both Israel and Iran, portraying them as advancing extreme religious agendas that threaten regional stability. Responding to accusations of cooperation with Israel in intercepting missiles and drones, the daily al-Anbat wrote that Jordan would not subject its policy to foreign agendas aiming to turn it into a front. In this context, Iran was accused of cynically exploiting the Palestinian issue to justify its subversive actions in Arab countries.
Concurrently, Jordan has expressed a strong desire for a swift end to the confrontation between Israel and Iran before it escalates into a prolonged war of attrition or an international conflict. King Abdullah stressed the urgent need to stop the war in a conversation with French President Emmanuel Macron. Al-Ghad’s editor-in-chief, Makram al-Tarawneh, expressed hope that international actors would intervene soon to halt the escalation, ensure the region’s safety, and save it from destruction.
In Jordan’s view, a prolonged and widespread campaign could cause significant security and economic harm, including additional missile and interception debris falling on its territory; suspension of Israeli gas exports, which undermines Jordan’s electricity production and forces it to purchase expensive fuel that burdens its budget; disruption of civil aviation; damage to tourism; and supply chain disturbances via the Port of Aqaba and the Red Sea.
Despite its criticism of Israel, Jordan has been and remains a central partner in confronting the “Shiite Crescent”—a term coined by King Abdullah himself nearly two decades ago. In light of the strategic ties and shared interests between the two countries, it is important for Israel to take Jordan’s concerns about a prolonged war seriously and consider the implications for its close neighbor.
Since the Israeli surprise attack on Iran, Jordan has been formulating its public stance with great caution. Official spokespeople harshly condemned the “Israeli aggression” and the “blatant violation of the sovereignty of a UN member state.” Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi spoke with his Iranian counterpart Abbas Araghchi and reiterated Jordan’s strong condemnation of Israel’s “dangerous escalation.”
However, in the same conversation, Safadi clarified to Araghchi that Jordan would not allow any harm to its sovereignty or its citizens—whether by Israel or Iran—and would act to thwart any attempt to penetrate its airspace, as it had done in response to Iranian attacks on Israel in April and October 2024. Jordan’s King Abdullah II also emphasized that his country wouldn’t serve as a battlefield in the conflict between Israel and Iran.
These declarations have been reflected in action: Since the beginning of the war, Jordanian fighter jets and air defense systems have intercepted Iranian drones and missiles that entered the kingdom’s airspace en route to Israel. While supporters of the pro-Iranian “Axis of Resistance” launched a campaign on social media against Jordan’s alleged siding with Israel, Jordanian regime officials justified the interceptions as necessary to protect its national sovereignty and prevent any harm to populated areas.
In pro-government Jordanian newspapers such as al-Rai, criticism was leveled at both Israel and Iran, portraying them as advancing extreme religious agendas that threaten regional stability. Responding to accusations of cooperation with Israel in intercepting missiles and drones, the daily al-Anbat wrote that Jordan would not subject its policy to foreign agendas aiming to turn it into a front. In this context, Iran was accused of cynically exploiting the Palestinian issue to justify its subversive actions in Arab countries.
Concurrently, Jordan has expressed a strong desire for a swift end to the confrontation between Israel and Iran before it escalates into a prolonged war of attrition or an international conflict. King Abdullah stressed the urgent need to stop the war in a conversation with French President Emmanuel Macron. Al-Ghad’s editor-in-chief, Makram al-Tarawneh, expressed hope that international actors would intervene soon to halt the escalation, ensure the region’s safety, and save it from destruction.
In Jordan’s view, a prolonged and widespread campaign could cause significant security and economic harm, including additional missile and interception debris falling on its territory; suspension of Israeli gas exports, which undermines Jordan’s electricity production and forces it to purchase expensive fuel that burdens its budget; disruption of civil aviation; damage to tourism; and supply chain disturbances via the Port of Aqaba and the Red Sea.
Despite its criticism of Israel, Jordan has been and remains a central partner in confronting the “Shiite Crescent”—a term coined by King Abdullah himself nearly two decades ago. In light of the strategic ties and shared interests between the two countries, it is important for Israel to take Jordan’s concerns about a prolonged war seriously and consider the implications for its close neighbor.