Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
03AMMAN5901
2003-09-14 11:18:00
SECRET//NOFORN
Embassy Amman
Cable title:  

KING ABDULLAH VISITS IRAN

Tags:  PREL PTER IR JO 
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This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.
S E C R E T AMMAN 005901 

SIPDIS

NOFORN

E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/08/2013
TAGS: PREL PTER IR JO
SUBJECT: KING ABDULLAH VISITS IRAN

Classified By: Amb. Edward Gnehm for reasons 1.5 B and D

S E C R E T AMMAN 005901

SIPDIS

NOFORN

E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/08/2013
TAGS: PREL PTER IR JO
SUBJECT: KING ABDULLAH VISITS IRAN

Classified By: Amb. Edward Gnehm for reasons 1.5 B and D


1. (U) King Abdullah visited Tehran September 2-3 in what
President Khatami termed &a significant turning point in
relations.8 Local and regional media sources referred to the
visit as &landmark8 and &a new chapter in bilateral
relations.8 Accompanied by Prime Minister Ali Abul Ragheb
and several other ministers, the King met with President
Khatami, Supreme Leader Khamenei, and Foreign Minister
Kharazi during the visit. It was the first visit to Iran by a
Jordanian head-of-state since the fall of the Shah, though
diplomatic ties were restored in 1991 and Abdullah and
Khatami met previously on the margins of the Millenium
Summitt in 2000.


2. (U) According to public statements, the two sides
discussed the situation in Iraq, and while generally positive
on recent events, including the formation of the Iraqi
cabinet, both sides expressed concern for the continued
instability and human suffering there. They also discussed
the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, with King Abdullah
highlighting Jordan,s efforts to reach a just and lasting
peace and President Khatami noting Jordan,s "long history of
struggle and suffering in defending the Palestinian cause."
On bilateral relations, including Iranian offers of economic,
scientific, educational and cultural cooperation, Khatami
stated that "our rapprochement with Jordan will not be at the
expense of any other party."


3. (C) Subsequent to the visit, Ali al-Ayed, Director of
Foreign Minister Muasher's Private Office, told PolOff that
Iran had proposed to Jordan "a security agreement like the
ones it has with Bahrain and Saudi Arabia." Ayed said the
government would "send the proposal to a technical team" for
further study.


4. (S/NF) In a September 8 meeting with the Ambassador, the
King stated that he did not like or trust the Iranians, but
he wanted to "test the waters." He thought common ground
could be found in battling Sunni terrorists like al-Qaeda.
He met with a senior MOIS official, Younissi, who explicitly
said this was an area of mutual interest with Jordan and the
U.S. The King also asserted that the Iranians are
"terrified" at the idea of the breakup of Iraq. The Iranians
made it clear that Jordanian cooperation on MEK would be an
important element for closer cooperation on other terrorist
elements.


5. (S) COMMENT: Given King Hussein's close friendship with
the Shah, it is not surprising that no Jordanian monarch has
visited Iran since the 1970s. Over the past couple of years,
however, the Iranians have pressed for a royal visit. The
Jordanians had previously sent the Foreign Minister and
intelligence chief to break the ice.


6. (S/NF) Especially after the arrest of three Hezbollahis
smuggling rockets from Syria into Jordan in 2001, probably
for use in the West Bank, the GOJ has been hesitant to engage
Iran in a high profile manner. However, the possibility of
gaining information on al-Qaeda members in Iran, and other
possible inducements, convinced King Abdullah to break the
quarter century chill in relations. END COMMENT.
HALE