IRGC Denies Involvement in Conspiracy in Jordan

Iran's Foreign Ministry and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) dismissed a report by the Jordanian newspaper Al-Rai claiming that the Quds Force, the IRGC's overseas branch, was involved in a conspiracy to carry out an attack in Jordan as "baseless," "unfounded," and part of "Iranophobia" propaganda. According to the Iranian Students' News Agency (ISNA), citing an informed source in the Iranian Foreign Ministry on Tuesday, July 6, the report was labeled as "baseless," and Iran's "principled and fixed policy" was stated to be complete respect for the security, stability, and territorial integrity of regional countries. Meanwhile, Ramadan Sharif, spokesperson for the IRGC, also told the Associated Press that the report was "unfounded" and part of what he called "Iranophobia" propaganda. The Jordanian state newspaper Al-Rai had previously reported that security forces arrested an individual named "Khalid Kazem Jassim Al-Rubaie" in the city of "Jerash" with 45 kilograms of explosives. Jerash is the second tourist city in Jordan. According to the report, the Quds Force had "provided explosives to this individual." The state newspaper Al-Rai also published parts of the indictment against "Khalid Kazem Jassim Al-Rubaie," referring to details of the 49-year-old suspect's cooperation with the "Iranian Ministry of Intelligence." Iran is one of the main supporters of Bashar al-Assad's government in Syria. In response, Mr. Assad has accused Jordan of supporting "rebel groups" opposing him, but Jordanian officials have denied these accusations. Jordan has also conducted multiple airstrikes against Islamic State positions in cooperation with the U.S.-led international coalition. In recent years, Israeli officials and some Western sources have accused Iran of being involved in planning terrorist activities in Azerbaijan, Bangkok, Georgia, New Delhi, and Kenya, with several Iranian nationals arrested in these countries on similar charges. The Islamic Republic has denied any involvement in assassination plots in these countries.