While Jordan and Iran have never been outright enemies, competing strategic interests, shifting alliances and Iran’s expanding influence have turned a once-cordial relationship into one marked by mistrust and geopolitical friction

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) attack on an American military base in Jordan, which killed at least two US soldiers, triggered another cycle of retaliation between Washington and Tehran. Iranian military sites were subsequently targeted, while Jordanian forces reported intercepting additional Iranian missiles and drones. The episode suggested that Jordan, despite efforts to remain insulated from regional conflicts, was being drawn deeper into the widening confrontation between Iran and the United States.

This was not the first time Jordan found itself caught in the crossfire. In April 2024, during Iran’s first direct large-scale attack on Israel, the Jordanian Air Force intercepted and destroyed Iranian drones and missiles passing through its airspace towards Israel. Tehran viewed the action as assistance to Israel, reinforcing its suspicion of Amman’s strategic alignment.

Yet Iran’s historical hostility towards Jordan has been primarily strategic rather than ideological or sectarian. Jordan is targeted less because of its domestic character and more because of its geography, alliances and role in the regional security architecture. Positioned between Iran’s sphere of influence and Israel, closely aligned with the United States, and central to Western security arrangements, Jordan occupies a sensitive position in the Middle Eastern balance of power.

This alignment is notable given Jordan’s demographic complexity. An........

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