Jordan demands root causes of Middle East conflict be addressed
11:25, 19/04/2026, Sunday
AA
File photo
Jordan's Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi warned at the Antalya Diplomacy Forum that the Middle East cannot escape instability without addressing fundamental sources of tension. He emphasized collective regional action, mutual respect among nations, and an end to foreign interference in sovereign affairs.
Antalya Diplomacy Forum calls for regional cooperation
Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi delivered a pointed message at the Antalya Diplomacy Forum in Türkiye, stressing that sustainable peace in the Middle East demands confronting the underlying drivers of discord rather than managing symptoms. Speaking during a panel titled
A Middle East Beyond Zero-Sum Politics
, Safadi framed regional stability as achievable only through unified effort and structural reform of interstate relations.Iran relations and sovereignty concerns
Safadi clarified that Arab states do not pursue hostility with Tehran, yet insisted that normalized ties depend on resolving persistent irritants. He enumerated
interventionism
, meddling in domestic affairs
, and violations of sovereignty
as obstacles requiring removal. The minister underscored that durable partnerships must rest upon mutual respect and adherence to international legal standards, with all parties held to identical obligations.Economic costs of persistent instability
The Jordanian official highlighted the devastating economic toll of regional turmoil, observing that
a single month of chaos can erase years of developmental progress
. Energy cooperation, water security initiatives, and infrastructure investments throughout the Arab world face repeated disruption from political uncertainty. Safadi noted that Jordan and Gulf Cooperation Council members have themselves suffered direct consequences, functioning as targets of aggression
amid broader regional competition.Advertisement
Palestinian question remains central
Turning to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, Safadi warned that neglecting this foundational dispute jeopardizes all other stability efforts. He charged that international attention has drifted from Gaza toward confrontation with Iran, while
unilateral Israeli actions in the West Bank
systematically dismantle conditions for any negotiated settlement. Without equitable and permanent resolution of Palestinian grievances, the minister argued, broader regional security architectures will inevitably collapse.Call for consistent application of international law
Concluding his remarks, Safadi appealed for reinforced multilateral collaboration and universal accountability under international law. He rejected selective enforcement, insisting that rules-based order requires identical standards for powerful and vulnerable states alike. The Antalya gathering, bringing together Turkish, Arab, and broader international representatives, served as a platform for advancing this vision of collective security grounded in legal equality.
Comments you share on our site are a valuable resource for other users. Please be respectful of different opinions and other users. Avoid using rude, aggressive, derogatory, or discriminatory language.