Former Jordanian foreign minister Marwan Muasher said the war with Iran is harming U.S. allies throughout the Middle East.
This regional instability threatens the security of key partners and complicates the strategic position of the United States in a volatile area. As conflicts spill over borders, nations that rely on U.S. security guarantees face increasing internal and external pressures.
Muasher, who also serves as the vice president for studies at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, said the conflict's effects are damaging the security and stability of nations that partner with the U.S. [1]. He said the risks are faced by states like Jordan, which have historically acted as buffers or strategic partners in the region [1, 2].
The human cost of these tensions has already manifested in direct attacks. An Iranian attack in Jordan resulted in the deaths of two U.S. service members, while another remains missing [2]. These incidents demonstrate how the broader war can lead to localized violence that directly impacts U.S. personnel and the host nations that support them.
Regional stability is further strained as the conflict disrupts established diplomatic channels. Muasher said the spill-over effects are not limited to military engagements but extend to the overall governance and stability of allied states [1]. The volatility in the region creates a vacuum that can be exploited by non-state actors or competing powers.
Jordan and other allied states continue to navigate the precarious balance between maintaining their sovereignty and upholding their commitments to the U.S. [1, 2]. The ongoing friction with Iran complicates these efforts, making the cost of alliance higher for regional governments.
“The conflict’s spill‑over effects are damaging the security and stability of nations that partner with the United States.”
The assessment by Marwan Muasher suggests that the U.S. may face a diminishing return on its regional alliances if the cost of partnering with Washington—measured in security risks and Iranian retaliation—outweighs the benefits. When allied territory becomes a battlefield, it can erode local public support for U.S. military presence and force partner governments to either distance themselves from Washington or risk internal instability.
