Iran denies alleged meeting in Jordan with Israel intel

By Mustafa Melih Ahishali

TEHRAN

Iran’s Foreign Ministry on Monday denied reports of a “secret meeting” allegedly held in Amman recently between Iranian officials and Israeli Mossad officers.

Iran’s state-run Islamic Republic News Agency quoted Foreign Ministry spokesman Bahram Qassemi as saying “no talks were held” between Iranian officials and Israeli intelligence agents in the Jordanian capital.

On Sunday, London-based Arabic-language news outlet Elaph -- which is owned by a Saudi businessman -- quoted a “participant” at the alleged meeting as saying that Iran’s ambassador to Jordan, along with several Iranian security officials, had met with Israeli intelligence agents in Amman.

According to Elaph, the two sides agreed at the meeting that Hezbollah and other Shia militias would refrain from taking part in any future conflict between Syria’s Assad regime and opposition forces near the Jordan-Syria border.