US reaffirms commitment to partnership with Jordan

By Servet Gunerigok

WASHINGTON (AA) - US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Jordan's King Abdullah II discussed the partnership between the two nations over the phone Thursday, said the State Department.

"The Secretary reaffirmed the US commitment to its strategic partnership with Jordan and commended King Abdullah II for Jordan’s steadfast leadership promoting peace and stability in the Middle East," said spokesperson Ned Price in a statement.

The US "deeply values the strong bilateral cooperation and longtime friendship between our two countries," Price added.

The phone call came a day after President Joe Biden expressed "strong US support” for Jordan and further underscored "the importance of King Abdullah II’s leadership to the United States and the region" during their conversation that came following a royal rift that saw the kingdom's former crown prince placed under house arrest.

Abdullah announced earlier Wednesday that the "rift" with his half-brother Prince Hamzah bin Hussein had ended and he is now in the palace with his family.

On Sunday, authorities announced "preliminary investigations" which indicated that Prince Hamzah was involved with "foreign parties" in "attempts to destabilize the security of the country" and "mobilizing citizens against the state."

Hamzah denied the allegations in a video later in the day.