Jordan’s Hedging on Iran Is Standard Practice

As the United States deliberates between negotiations with, or military action against, Iran. Jordan has become the latest Arab state to express disquiet over the latter option.

Jordan is being characteristically cautious, fearful of Iranian retaliation should the U.S. decide to attack. Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman al-Safadi told his Iranian counterpart Abbas Araghchi on February 2 that, “Jordan will not be a battlefield for any party in any regional conflict, or a base for any military action against Iran.”

Jordan’s stance follows announcements from Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Qatar publicly ruling out permission for their airspace, territory, and waters to be used during any attack on Iran. Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei previously warned that any U.S. attack would spark a “regional war,” asserting that Iran does not “intend to attack any country, but if anyone seeks to attack or harass us, the Iranian nation will deliver a heavy blow.”

Public Posturing by Arab States

In previous instances of Israeli and U.S. action against Iran, Jordan has used similar rhetoric in affirming that Jordanian territory will not be used to stage an attack on Iran.

When Safadi visited Tehran in August 2024  to de-escalate tensions following the Israeli elimination of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh, he declared that the Hashemite Kingdom would “firmly confront anyone attempting to violate Jordanian airspace.” Jordan employed much the same rhetoric when Israel and the United States struck Iran in June 2025, stressing that it would not allow its airspace to be used by outside forces.

Yet public rhetoric and operational behavior have repeatedly diverged. Arab governments have sought to insulate themselves domestically by emphasizing neutrality, even as their actions aligned with U.S. and Israeli imperatives.

During the June 2025 war, Jordanian media largely avoided reporting on Israeli fighter jets traveling through the country’s airspace, likely to prevent a fierce public backlash. And while Saudi Arabia also reportedly offered the Iranians similar assurances in May 2025, as with Jordan, it discreetly permitted its airspace to be used during the 12 days of military action against Iran the following month.

Jordan’s Contribution to the Defense of U.S. Assets and Israeli Territory

During the conflict with Iran in June, the Jordanian Armed Forces acknowledged intercepting Iranian missiles and drones, just as they did during Iran’s missile barrages against Israel in April and October 2024. Amman typically framed these interceptions as a defensive effort to protect its own civilians.

The United States has used Jordanian territory through its presence in the Muwaffaq Salti Air Base to help intercept Iranian projectiles aimed at Israel. In the past two weeks, the base has seen an increase in U.S. tactical aircraft and air defense systems, intended for use in the event of a confrontation with Iran. However, military analysts note that Jordan’s declaration that it will not allow its airspace to be used for an attack on Iran could limit U.S. operational options in any prospective strike against Iran.

Iran Is the Key Test for Ongoing U.S. Military Assistance

As a major non-NATO ally, Jordan enjoys privileged access to U.S. military equipment, training, and defense technology. That status is reinforced by a seven-year, non-binding agreement committing the White House to request at least  $1.45 billion annually in military and economic assistance for Amman. In practice, Congress has appropriated even larger sums, while the recently passed 2026 Defense Appropriations Bill further increased funding for Jordan as a key U.S. security partner.

In any future confrontation between the United States and Iran, Jordan’s role and commitment as a strategic ally should be closely examined. Washington should assess future appropriations through that lens, directly linking assistance to Amman’s concrete contributions to regional security.

Ahmad Sharawi is a senior research analyst at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies (FDD). For more analysis from Ahmad and FDD, please subscribe HERE. Follow Ahmad on X @AhmadA_Sharawi. Follow FDD on X @FDD. FDD is a Washington, DC-based, nonpartisan research institute focusing on national security and foreign policy.