Jordan: No request from Washington to close Iraqi embassy

The Jordanian foreign minister Marwan Muasher yesterday stressed that Jordan did nit receive any request from Washington to close the Iraqi embassy in Amman or to expel Iraqi diplomats. Muasher said "I can say firmly that the USA did not ask Jordan to close the Iraqi embassy or to expel its diplomats."

The Jordan foreign minister was talking about press information talking about Jordan's rejection of an American request to that effect. On Thursday the US stressed it had officially asked governments in the world to close the Iraqi embassies in it until a new regime is established in Baghdad.

The Jordanian FM said that these news are "futile." He added that these "news are the same as the one preceded it on Thursday on the deployment of the American army in Iraq as from the Jordanian territories which is also baseless news."

Jordan has repeatedly stressed it will not permit any American attack against Iraq as from its territories. However, there are 3 to 6 thousands American troopers in Jordan where three American anti missiles patriot missiles batteries are deployed.