Jordanian monarch's trip to Iran cancelled

Iranian MP, Hamid Resai has announced that the King of Jordan's visit to Iran has been cancelled. "In view of the current critical situation," he said, "the Jordanian Abdullah's trip to Tehran did not meet the approval of senior Islamic Republic officials."

Yesterday a number of Iranian MPs expressed their disapproval at the planned visit by King Abdullah II of Jordan at a time when the monarch is facing popular protests at home.

Today Resai said the invitation had been extended to Malek Abdullah eight months ago and was in line with the Islamic Republic's policy of maintaining relations with the Muslim countries of the region.

"When the invitation was extended to Malek Abdullah and the head of a number of countries in the region, the situation in the region was not critical," Resai said. "But today since the position of a number of heads of state has become unstable, it is only natural that they would insist on travelling to Iran in order to gain face and honour among their people."

He added: "The Jordanian Abdullah intended to take advantage of an invitation that was extended to him by our president under natural circumstances, and use it in the current critical situation in the region to gain acceptability by traveling to Tehran under the pretext of joining the Nowrouz celebrations."

Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has invited a number of heads of states to Persepolis to join a celebration of Nowrouz, the Iranian New Year, which begins on the first day of spring.

Iranian MPs have described the invitation to the Jordanian monarch as "an uncomely policy" and accused the foreign ministry of going against the diplomatic traditions of the Islamic Republic.

Source: PAYVAND