Amman- Jordan’s Foreign and Expatriates Affairs Ministry summoned on Sunday the Iranian ambassador to Jordan, Mojtaba Ferdosipour, and protested the remarks made by an Iranian foreign ministry spokesperson against Amman and its leadership.

In a statement issued on Sunday, the foreign ministry said the comments delivered by the Iranian foreign ministry official “reflected a failed attempt to distort the pivotal role of Jordan in pursuing regional security and stability, fighting terrorism, countering attempts to sow strife or using Arab causes for own benefit.”

The ministry stressed that Iran should adhere to a good neighborly relationship with Arab countries, non-interference in their affairs and show respect for international conventions and norms in its action and approach towards Arab countries, Petra news agency said.

Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Bahram Qassemi had said last week that the Jordanian king made a “strategic mistake” in defining terrorism.

In an interview with The Washington Post during his visit to Washington last week, Jordanian King Abdullah II highlighted the need for countering Iran and ISIS, placing Iran in the same category with the terrorist group.

In response, the Iranian official said the King’s move to put Iran on the same list with ISIS demonstrates his shallow view of the regional developments.

“The king of Jordan seems to have made a strategic and fundamental mistake in defining terrorism, and the interpretations is his remarks simply show the shallowness of his view on the regional developments,” Qassemi said on Saturday.

In January 2016, the Jordanian Foreign Ministry had summoned Iran’s ambassador to Amman to condemn an attack on the Saudi embassy in Tehran.

The ministry at the time described the attack as “Iranian interference” in Arab affairs and “meddling in internal Saudi affairs.”