Warning of Risk of Israeli Retaliation Against Iran, Jordan: Entire Region Could Be Drawn into War

Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi. (Wikimedia Commons/gov.si)

JAKARTA - Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi warned on Wednesday that Israel's response to Iran's attacks had a real risk of dragging the entire region into a devastating war.

In an interview released by state media, Foreign Minister Safadi said his country was lobbying major countries to oppose escalation which would have a broad impact on regional stability and security.

"The risk is very big. This could drag the entire region into war, which would have a bad impact on us in this region and would have a very, very serious impact on the whole world including the US," said Foreign Minister Safadi, reported by Reuters on April 18.

"The situation is too dangerous. The possibility of a regional explosion is very high, and this must be stopped. We must ensure there is no further escalation," he added.

Jordan, together with the United States, Britain, and France, is known to have succeeded in shooting down most of Iran's drones and missiles heading for Jerusalem and various targets in Israel.

"Now pressure must be put on Israel not to escalate," said Foreign Minister Safadi, adding that Tehran said it carried out the attack in retaliation for an alleged Israeli airstrike on its embassy compound in Damascus on April 1 and would take no further action, unless Israel respond to it.

Jordan neighbors Syria and Iraq, both countries where Iranian proxy forces operate, and borders Israel and the Israeli-occupied West Bank.

"We are in the middle of a conflict, so both sides have to understand that we will do what we have to do to protect ourselves, and prevent this escalation," explained Safadi.

Foreign Minister Safadi warned that his country would act decisively if any further flare-ups occurred and Jordan would not allow "Iran or Israel to turn the kingdom into a battlefield."

"We will destroy any projectiles that threaten our people and violate our sovereignty, as well as pose a threat to Jordanian citizens. And we have made this clear to Israel and Iran," he stressed.