Lawmakers upset by Iran general’s ‘remarks’ despite denials

AMMAN — MPs on Tuesday expressed dismay over remarks attributed to Qassem Suleimani, commander of Al Quds Force of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps, saying Tehran can control events in Jordan.

During Sunday's Lower House session, some lawmakers criticised the government's "coy" response to Suleimani's statements, calling at the same time for an apology from Tehran.

Several local and foreign media outlets have quoted Suleimani, Iran's top officer responsible for foreign operations, as reportedly saying that he believed Tehran had the ability to control events in Jordan, as it does in Iraq and Lebanon.

MP Wafa Bani Mustapha criticised Suleimani's "provocative" remarks, calling on Iran to issue an official apology to the Kingdom especially now "when Amman-Tehran relations are improving following Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Nasser Judeh's recent visit to Iran". 

In response to the remarks, Judeh said that Jordan’s embassy in Tehran has inquired about the issue through Iran’s foreign ministry which emphasised that the remarks attributed to Suleimani were “baseless”.

Judeh also noted that the Iranian embassy in Amman has also described the alleged remarks as “unfounded”. 

Iran’s mission in Amman has denied the alleged statements attributed to Suleimani, saying in a recent statement that “the alleged statements attributed to General Suleimani about developments in the region and the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan in particular were unfounded”.

The embassy noted that following the release of media reports, the public relations department in the Revolutionary Guard issued a statement denying all remarks attributed to Suleimani.

Earlier this month, Judeh visited Tehran and met with high-ranking Iranian officials, including President Hassan Rouhani.

Also during the session, head of the House Palestine Committee MP Yahya Saud denounced the Jewish settlers’ storming of Al Aqsa Mosque compound on Monday, calling for a firm response to the Israeli assaults on Jerusalem’s holy sites.

General Director of Muslim Endowments and Al Aqsa Affairs Azzam Al Khatib has been quoted as saying that “a total of 132 Jewish settlers under the protection of Israeli police forced their way into Al Aqsa complex through Al Magharbeh and Hotta gates”.

“A group of 10 settlers mounted the roof of the Dome of the Rock Mosque and tried to perform Talmudic rituals but Palestinian guards managed to prevent them,” he added.

Veteran MP Abdul Karim Dughmi criticised the government’s statement on Monday about Jordan’s intention to train Syrian tribal rebels to fight Daesh terrorist organisation, calling on the government to adhere to the Kingdom’s unaltered stance on Syria which advocates a comprehensive political solution to the ongoing war there.

Minister of State for Media Affairs and Communications Mohammad Momani said on Monday that Jordan along with other countries in the region are in the process of providing training for Syrian “people and tribes” in areas dominated by terrorist groups, including Daesh. 

Momani added that members of the coalition to fight terrorism continue to discuss how to help the Syrian people and tribes in the areas controlled by Daesh or other terrorist organisations, including through training them to defend themselves and to defeat terrorists “who have been killing their sons and daughters and occupying their land”.

“Jordan is part of that and it is a continuous effort to help Syrian people and tribes fight terrorism,” Momani said at Monday’s press conference.

Also during Tuesday’s morning session, MPs continued their deliberations over the 2002 Audiovisual Law and passed some of its articles.