Informing humanitarians worldwide 24/7 — a service provided by UN OCHA

Iran

Iran earthquake: Envoy submits Khatami's message to Jordan's King Abdullah

Amman, Jan 13, IRNA - Mohammad Sadr, the special envoy of President Mohammad Khatami, here on Tuesday submitted Khatami's message to Jordan's King Abdullah II. At the meeting, King Abdullah underscored the need for Iran and Jordan to promote relations in all areas, and said exchanges of diplomatic visits between the two countries would increase. He recalled his last September trip to the Islamic Republic and expressed hope that Tehran-Amman relations would be further expanded in 2004. Sadr, for his part, said the viewpoints of Tehran and Amman on regional issues are important, and thanked King Abdullah for his efforts to promote those viewpoints. He also voiced Iran's readiness to welcome Jordanian delegations that will travel to Iran to expand bilateral cooperation. Sadr, who in charge of Arab and African affairs of the Iranian Foreign Ministry, earlier on Monday said he will meet the Jordanian king to discuss regional and international issues, including those relating to Palestine. "The Iraq issue and the existing challenges in that country are very important to Iran and Jordan, who are both Iraq's neighbors and will be discussed in the visit," Sadr told IRNA.

The visit comes on the heels of a tour by Jordan's Queen Rania, who inspected the devastated city of Bam last week to deliver another consignment of relief aid to those affected. Jordan has also established a field hospital in Bam to treat survivors of the December 26 quake which killed more than 30,000.

King Abdullah II was in Tehran in September for a two-day state visit, the first by a Jordanian monarch in 25 years. During his stay here, the Jordanian king held separate meetings with Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, President Mohammad Khatami and Foreign Minister Kamal Kharrazi and discussed promotion of Tehran-Amman ties as well as key regional and international developments.