Jordan's foreign minister to hold talks in Iran as tensions rise

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — Jordan's Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi will travel to Iran on Sunday in a rare visit to discuss regional developments with his Iranian counterpart following the assassination of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran, Iranian state media reported.


Regional tensions have spiked following the assassination of Haniyeh on Wednesday, which came a day after an Israeli strike in Beirut which killed Fuad Shukr, a senior military commander from the Iran-backed Lebanese group Hezbollah.


Hamas and Iran have both accused Israel of carrying out the assassination of Haniyeh and have pledged to retaliate. Israel has not claimed responsibility for the death nor denied it.


Safadi's visit to Iran follows continued diplomatic contacts by the United States and its partners including France, Britain, Italy, and Egypt on Saturday to prevent further regional escalation.


Iran and Jordan are seeking to improve their relations following recent tensions related to Amman accusing pro-Iranian militias in Syria of smuggling narcotics into the country and its taking part in the interception of Iran's first ever direct attack on Israel last April.