Jordan will take down any projectiles threatening its people, sovereignty — Safadi

Safadi’s remarks came during an interview with Andrea Mitchell of MSNBC during which he affirmed that Amman will not allow Israel and Iran to turn Jordan into a battleground. 

Asked about Jordan’s interception and shot down of Iranian drones, Safadi said, “We did what we have to do to make sure that everybody understands that will not allow Iran or Israel to turn Jordan into a battleground. 

We will take down any projectiles that threaten our people, violate our sovereignty, and pose a threat to Jordanians. And we made this clear to both Israel and Iran.”

Safadi explained that Jordan has been working on bringing an end to the war on Gaza and preventing regional escalation. “The danger of escalation is real, and all of us have to work together to prevent it. 

“I think the focus now should be where it should have been from the very beginning: We need to end the aggression on Gaza and the suffering it is causing and work towards an irreversible, credible track towards a just and lasting peace that will ensure security for both Palestinians and Israelis,” Safadi said.

On the recent Iranian missile and drone attack against Israel, Safadi said,” I think what happened over the weekend should be a wake-up call to all. The situation is too dangerous. 

 The chances of regional explosion are real, and that has got to stop. We’ve got to make sure there’s no further escalation. Iran retaliated against the attack on its consulate in Damascus. It will not do more. Now the pressure should be on Israel not to retaliate, and to focus on ending the war and creating a future of peace for its people and for the Palestinians and for everyone else.”

Asked about the risks of an Israeli retaliatory attack against territorial Iran rather than a proxy and also Tehran’s threats to respond, Safadi said, “The risks are enormous. That could drag the whole region into war, which would be devastating to us in the region and we’ll have very very serious implications for the rest of the world, including the US. So I think the message that should be driven to all is that escalation will help no one.”

Jordan’s top diplomat reiterated that the “only way to prevent regional escalating is to stop the war [on Gaza] and get back to a real plan to implement the two-state solution that will guarantee peace and security for both Palestinians and Israelis”.

“I have to be very unequivocal here, Jordan will not be a battleground. We are in the middle of the fire so both parties have to understand that we’ll do what we have to do to protect our own, and to prevent this escalation.”

Safadi warned that the Israeli prime minister is trying to drag Washington and other Western countries into the war with Iran, adding that Gaza and its humanitarian catastrophe shall remain the focus. 

“Israeli prime minister [Benjamin Netanyahu] should not be allowed to drag the US and other Western powers into a war with Iran. Nor should he use this tension with Iran to drive attention away from the real threat now, which is the continuation of the war on Gaza that has killed over 33,000 people, 13,000 children, devastated all of Gaza.”

Safadi explained that peace and security are rights for all people of the region, including Palestinians and Israelis. “The path to this peace is not war, the path to this peace is negotiations that would deliver a solution that will fulfil the legitimate rights of the Palestinians, and address and guarantee the security of Israel.”