Security tensions with Iran: The Qatari al-Jazeera channel reported this morning (Wednesday) that Jordan denies any intention to join a military alliance that includes Israel. According to the report, the Foreign Minister of the Kingdom, Ayman a-Safdi Stressed that “there is no such proposal, and Jordan will not be in such an alliance, the issue is also not on the agenda during reviews of the US President, Joe Biden“In the area in July.”
Meanwhile, during a question posed by one of the journalists to the King of Jordan, Abdullah, he replied that he supported an Arab defense alliance. He added that “it is natural for Jordan to support any joint Arab institutional action, whether on the issue of security or the economy.” Thus, the Qatari channel reported that the Jordanian minister denies reports in the Israeli and Western media, about the intention of Israel and other Arab countries to build a military alliance against Iran, with the help of the United States.
As you may recall, the Jordanian announcement joins the report that Egypt is also opposed to entering into a military alliance against Iran. Al-Arabi al-Jadid reported last night that Egypt would oppose any idea of participating in a military coalition against Iran. According to the report, political and military elements in Egypt have sent messages that their country opposes any military alliance against the Islamic Republic, and recently stressed this again in the Egyptian media.
Sources stressed that senior Egyptian army commanders had explicitly stated their opposition to this alliance and any direct confrontation with Iran. They explained that “this issue was raised within the framework of security and military institutions in Egypt, after the publication of the issue and the establishment of a military alliance against Iran in the Middle East.” This, after the president, ‘Abd al-Fatah al-Sisi, visited Oman yesterday, in order to “convey a message to the Iranians” that “Egypt is by no means ready for a direct confrontation with Iran.”
Al-Arabi al-Jadid newspaper further reported that a former Egyptian diplomat said: “Several Arab states in the Persian Gulf have used their economic aid leverage to put pressure on the Egyptian police to force him to join the military coalition.” The diplomat explained that “al-Sisi is likely to cooperate with the Gulf states on the military coalition, along with other countries, against the ‘alleged’ threats they face. But, he will not deviate from that, which indicates he will not engage in a direct military confrontation with Iran.”