The two leaders maintained a respectful and often warm relationship. Both were Western-educated monarchs who relied heavily on personal diplomacy. The Shah maintained discreet but significant ties with Israel. Hussein, though pragmatic, had to navigate Arab public opinion. This created occasional quiet tensions, though not enough to rupture cooperation. Assertion of dominance in the Persian Gulf (especially after the British withdrawal in 1971) sometimes caused unease among Arab states, including Jordan. Hussein maintained an independent but cautious stance, seeking balance between Saudi Arabia and Iraq.
Jordan’s central involvement in the Palestinian question meant Hussein sometimes adopted positions that differed from Tehran’s more strategic calculus. The fall of the Shah abruptly ended the long-standing partnership. The new Islamic Republic viewed Jordan’s pro-Western, monarchical system with suspicion. King Hussein, for his part, maintained loyalty to the Shah personally, eventually granting asylum to some Pahlavi family members.
