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Jordan

June 10, 2026

Amman 10:59 pm

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An old locomotive sits outside the Hejaz rail station in old Damascus on February 23, 2010. The Hejaz railway ran from Damascucs to Medina in Saudi Arabia and was part of the Ottoman railway network. AFP PHOTO/LOUAI BESHARA (Photo credit should read LOUAI BESHARA/AFP via Getty Images)

Explainer

Saudi Arabia, Turkey advance plans to revive historic Hejaz Railway

Turkish and Saudi officials signed agreements as part of a Turkish push to revive the Hejaz Railway linking Turkey to the Gulf through Syria, Jordan and Saudi Arabia.

Morocco's midfielder Azzedine Ounahi celebrates scoring with teammates during the FIFA World Cup 2026 Group E African qualification football match between Morocco and Niger at the Prince Moulay Abdellah Sports Complex in Rabat on September 5, 2025. (Photo by Abdel Majid BZIOUAT / AFP)

Culture

10 MENA teams at 2026 World Cup: Morocco eyes title, Iran faces visa hurdles

Jordan is competing in its first World Cup, while Iraq is making only its second appearance, as teams from the region seek to advance against European and Latin American powerhouses.

A view of the platform of the Leviathan natural gas field in the Mediterranean Sea is pictured from the Israeli northern coastal beach of Nasholim, on Aug. 29, 2022.

Israel energy minister says gas flowing to Egypt, Jordan despite shutdown reports

Israeli Energy Minister Eli Cohen told Al-Monitor that despite security concerns and partial shut down of marine gas platforms, Israel continues to supply gas to Egypt, Jordan and Israeli consumers.

A trilateral meeting was held today in Jeddah, bringing together His Royal Highness Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Crown Prince and Prime Minister King Abdullah II ibn Al Hussein of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, and Amir of the State of Qatar Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, on March 20, 2026.

Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Qatar to deepen security ties amid Iran war: What to know

Gulf states and Jordan are aligning more closely as Iranian attacks persist.

Latest News

Egypt closes stores early, Jordan bans AC as Iran war takes toll

Shops close early, on March 28, 2026, in Cairo, Egypt.

US fast-tracks $16.5B arms sales to UAE, Jordan, Kuwait amid Iran attacks

Uae

Iran takes aim at Jordan over role in US strikes: What to know

US soldiers participate in the annual military exercises known as "Eager Lion" near Maan, some 200 kilometers south of the capital Amman on May 17, 2017.

US court overturns Trump global tariffs: What it means for MENA

Heather Diehl/Getty Images

Abeer Ayyoub

In Istanbul, reporting on Palestine

Hanna Davis

In Beirut, reporting on politics, migration, human rights

Lyse Mauvais

In Amman, reporting on humanitarian crises

Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the United Arab Emirates, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi and United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres attend the Sharm El-Sheikh Climate Implementation Summit (SCIS) of the UNFCCC COP27 climate conference on November 07, 2022 in Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt. (Photo by Sean Gallup/Getty Images)

UAE, Egypt, Jordan, Bahrain sign 12 industrial agreements worth $2 billion

The third Higher Committee Meeting of the Industrial Partnership for Sustainable Economic Development wrapped up in Amman with 12 new agreements on industrial projects.

Jordan's King Abdullah II (R) escorts Egypt's President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi (C) and Iraq's Prime Minister Mohamed Shia al-Sudani (L) along with other dignitaries at the start of the "Baghdad Conference for Cooperation and Partnership" in Sweimeh by the Dead Sea shore in central-west Jordan on December 20, 2022. (Photo by KHALIL MAZRAAWI/AFP via Getty Images)

Trilateral Biden-Abdullah-Sudani call reiterated support for Iraq

The Iraqi prime minister also discussed Iraq’s economic situation with the president as the dinar continues to slide against the dollar. Jordan's King Abdullah II was also on the call.

US President Joe Biden meets with King Abdullah II of Jordan.

Jordan's King Abdullah in Washington as Israeli-Palestinian tensions soar

The visit came days after Secretary of State Antony Blinken visited the region and urged both Israelis and Palestinians to de-escalate.

A list of the top restaurants in the Middle East and North Africa.

Culture

Restaurants in Dubai, Tel Aviv, Amman among top 50 in region

Dubai’s Orfali Bros Bistro is No. 1. on The World's 50 Best Restaurants in the Middle East. It was founded by three Syrian brothers from Aleppo.

Sabaa Thnaibat, Jordan's first ever female F-16 pilot, making her first solo tour on Wednesday. (Photo credit: Jordanian Royal Forces)

Jordan's first female F-16 pilot celebrated as 'hero'

Jordanian women are playing an increasingly prominent role in the country’s military, though challenges remain. There have been notable female air force pilots in other countries throughout the Middle East as well.

Jordanian King Abdullah (L), former Qatari Emir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani (C) and Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani (R) are seen during the opening ceremony ahead of the Qatar 2022 World Cup at Al-Bayt Stadium, Al Khor, Doha, Qatar, Nov. 20, 2022.

Jordan, Qatar discuss bilateral ties, regional stability

The Jordanian king and Qatari emir met to discuss bilateral relations and ways to expand cooperation, with a special focus on the Palestinian file.

GIUSEPPE CACACE/AFP via Getty Images

Cruise ship terminal opens in Jordan’s port of Aqaba

The agreement with Abu Dhabi’s AD Ports Group could help bolster Jordan’s tourism sector.

From left, Sultan Haitham bin Tarik of Oman, Egypt's President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi.

UAE hosts Gulf leaders including Qatar's along with Egypt, Jordan

Egypt and Jordan are increasingly looking to the United Arab Emirates and other Gulf states for development and economic support.

US Acting Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs, Yael Lempert looks on during the Negev Forum's first Steering Committee meeting in the town of in Zallaq, south of the Bahraini capital of Manama on June 27, 2022. -(Photo by MAZEN MAHDI/AFP via Getty Images)

Biden names US ambassadors to Jordan, Oman

The US president has nominated Yael Lempert as US ambassador to Jordan, Ana Escrogima as US ambassador to Oman and named Dorothy Shea, currently the US ambassador to Lebanon, for deputy US representative to the United Nations

This picture taken from the Mount of Olives shows a view of Al-Aqsa Mosque compound and its Dome of the Rock, Old City, Jerusalem, Jan. 2, 2023.

UAE, Saudi, others condemn Israeli minister’s visit to Jerusalem holy site

Ben-Gvir’s visit to the Temple Mount/Haram al-Sharif could hurt the new far-right Israeli government's relations with Arab states and Turkey.

A tourist poses for a photo near the site of the Treasury at the ruins of the ancient Nabatean city of Petra in southern Jordan on on December 12, 2022. (Photo by KHALIL MAZRAAWI/AFP via Getty Images)

Flash floods force evacuations from Jordan's iconic Petra

Over a thousand tourists have been evacuated from Jordan's historical city of Petra as floods engulfed the area.

Christian Orthodox worshippers arrive to take part in a baptism ceremony to celebrate Epiphany on the banks of the Jordan River, in what is believed to be the site of Jesus' baptism, near Jericho in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, on January 18, 2022. (Photo by ABBAS MOMANI/AFP via Getty Images)

Inside Jordan's plan to revamp the baptism site of Jesus

The $300 million project accompanying the Bethany beyond Jordan, includes a "tourist village" and two major phases starting in 2023 and ending in 2030.