Jordan, Saudi Arabia affirm ‘absolute solidarity' against Iranian assaults

The foreign ministers of Jordan and Saudi Arabia on Monday affirmed their “absolute solidarity” against Iranian assaults on countries of the region.

A Jordanian Foreign Ministry statement said Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi held talks in Riyadh with his Saudi counterpart, Prince Faisal bin Farhan.

The two diplomats affirmed their solidarity with Arab countries targeted by Iranian assaults in taking measures to counter the attacks as part of their right to self-defense under Article 51 of the UN Charter.

Discussions between the two ministers took up the prospects for ending the “dangerous escalation in the region on the basis of guaranteeing security and stability, respecting the sovereignty of states, and preventing a recurrence of Iranian attacks,” the statement said.

They also called for stabilizing the situation in the Gaza Strip and removing all obstacles to the entry of humanitarian aid into the Palestinian enclave.

The diplomats also emphasized the need for concerted regional and international efforts to halt illegal Israeli measures that fuel further escalation and undermine a two-state solution to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict.

They also called for an end to the Israeli assaults on Lebanon and adherence to the ceasefire agreement reached in November 2024.

Regional tensions have escalated since the US and Israel launched a joint offensive on Iran on Feb. 28, killing more than 1,340 people to date, including then-Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.

Tehran has retaliated with drone and missile strikes targeting Israel, as well as Jordan, Iraq, and Gulf countries hosting US military assets. Iran has also restricted the movement of ships through the Strait of Hormuz.

The escalation spiraled into Lebanon, with the Israeli army launching airstrikes and a ground offensive and Hezbollah staging cross-border attacks into Israel.

*Writing by Rasa Evrensel in Istanbul