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AMMAN — His Majesty King Abdullah on Tuesday discussed with Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif bilateral ties and the latest regional developments, especially the situation in Syria and the peace process.

During the meeting, Zarif conveyed to His Majesty greetings from Iranian President Hassan Rouhani, a Royal Court statement said.

On Syria, the King reiterated Jordan’s stance in support of an inclusive political solution that can safeguard the country’s territorial unity and end the suffering of its people, the Royal Court said.

Concerning the efforts exerted to achieve peace between the Palestinians and the Israelis, the Monarch re-emphasised that any solution should lead to the establishment of an independent Palestinian state according to the Arab Peace Initiative and international resolutions.

Means to enhance Jordanian-Iranian relations and other issues of mutual interest were also discussed during the meeting, the statement said.

For his part, Zarif voiced his country’s keenness on maintaining consultation and coordination with Jordan over challenges facing the Middle East, voicing appreciation for the King’s role in enhancing the concepts of co-existence, tolerance and dialogue among the region’s peoples and cultures and his initiatives towards that end.

The meeting was attended by Royal Court Chief Fayez Tarawneh, Foreign Minister Nasser Judeh, the King’s office director Imad Fakhoury, Iranian chargé d’affaires to Jordan and the delegation accompanying Zarif.

Also on Tuesday, Prime Minister Abdullah Ensour held talks with Zarif, attended by Judeh, which focused on regional developments and bilateral ties. Judeh also held separate talks with his Iranian peer.

According to a Jordanian official familiar with Zarif’s talks in Amman, the Iranian top diplomat voiced Tehran’s support for a “comprehensive dialogue” between the Syrian government and the opposition without “imposing foreign agendas”.

Also during the talks, the official said Zarif approached Amman to ask it to act as a “mediator” between Iran and Saudi Arabia, which Tehran accuses of carrying out a proxy war against Iran in Iraq, Syria and Lebanon in recent years, in order to improve ties between the staunch rivals ahead of the Geneva II peace conference.

In return, Iran is reportedly prepared to throw its full support behind the outcomes of Geneva II “without preconditions”, even accepting a limited role for President Bashar Assad in a proposed transition government, according to sources close to the Iranian delegation.

Should Riyadh act in kind, Arab and Iranian diplomats say Iran is prepared to pull back various Shiite Iraqi and Iranian militias it has allegedly dispatched to Syria over the past year in a bid to enforce a ceasefire during next week’s talks.

A favourable Saudi response to Jordan’s mediatory efforts may even result in full Iranian participation in the Geneva summit, the sources claimed.

The two sides also explored prospects of allowing Iranian religious tourism to the Kingdom, home to several sites and tombs revered by both Sunni and Shiite sects of Islam.

Zarif also renewed a previous Iranian offer to provide Jordan with natural gas and boost investment in the country’s energy sector. However, unlike his predecessors, Zarif did not link increased energy cooperation with political policies or any “reciprocal acts” from Jordan, the sources said. 

AMMAN — Prime Minister Abdullah Ensour on Tuesday underlined the “deep” Jordanian-Algerian relationship and the Kingdom’s commitment to building on them at all levels.

At a meeting with Algerian Foreign Minister Ramtan Lamamra, the premier said cooperation between the two countries has prospered during the last few decades, especially in economic, education, industry, aviation and media areas.

Ensour highlighted challenges facing the Kingdom due to regional unrest and hosting a huge number of Syrian refugees, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.

Discussions also covered the latest developments in the region, especially the Palestinian issue and the Syrian crisis.

For his part, Lamamra underlined his country’s keenness to improve cooperation with Jordan, calling for reactivating the work of joint committees.

He noted that there are several Algerian companies operating in the Kingdom.

The official congratulated Jordan for securing a UN Security Council seat.

Also on Monday, Foreign Minister Nasser Judeh met with Lamamra and discussed prospects for further cooperation.

Judeh acquainted the official with the outcomes of the Friends of Syria meeting in Paris, which was held on Sunday, in addition to the results of the Arab Peace Initiative Committee’s talks with US Secretary of State John Kerry and other officials.

He also highlighted the course of negotiations between the Palestinians and the Israelis and efforts to render them a success to arrive at the establishment of an independent Palestinian state, according to Petra.

The two parties called for expediting efforts to hold the Geneva II conference in order to come up with a political solution for the Syrian crisis.

Meanwhile, Judeh met with his Luxembourg counterpart Jean Asselborn and looked into the latest regional developments and peace efforts.

At a press conference following the meeting, Judeh stressed the importance of coordinating with Luxembourg as Jordan is a non-permanent UN Security Council member, noting that Asselborn was on a visit to Jordan to take part in an event held by international organisations, intellectuals and diplomats to talk about the aftermath of the Syrian crisis.

Planning Minister Ibrahim Saif also met separately with Asselborn and discussed the impact of the Syrian refugee crisis on Jordan. 

AMMAN — Going down the stairs to Fawaz Sahloul’s house, one would not imagine that it accommodates a seven-member family.

The mouldy apartment, located in the west Amman suburb of Wadi Seer, speaks of a life of despair that the family has been living since Sahloul was taken ill and could not continue working.

“Our house is in really bad shape. Water is leaking everywhere and we lack privacy,” said Sahloul’s wife, Um Mohammad.

The family, which includes young children still in school, is left with no provider.

“My husband has diabetes and a mental illness, and I do not have the courage to go out and work,” Um Mohammad told The Jordan Times.

But the family will now have a bright future to look forward to after HRH Princess Basma, president of the National Goodwill Campaign’s higher committee, paid a visit to their home Tuesday.

The campaign will renovate the apartment and provide the necessary furniture, while the family will receive assistance and medical care.

The princess also visited the house of Halima Sandoqa, a 50-year-old unemployed woman who is left to care for her seven children after her Egyptian husband went back to his country five years ago to be treated for kidney failure.

Under the goodwill campaign, the house, also located in Wadi Seer, will be rehabilitated.

In addition, some 100 families from the area received urgent assistance, such as basic food supplies, blankets and heaters.

During a meeting with members of the local community, Princess Basma listened to their needs and challenges.

She called for expanding the outreach of charity initiatives and institutionalising them.

Tuesday’s visit also included the east Amman neighbourhood of Hai Nazzal, where 100 families received much-needed winter assistance.

Jordan Engineers Association Deputy President Majed Tabaa said a technical team will be formed to identify the needs of the houses that the princess visited on Tuesday to carry out the necessary maintenance work.

Launched by the Jordanian Hashemite Fund for Human Development, the National Goodwill Campaign has grown over the years to become synonymous with support for the poor and the marginalised.