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The unnamed official noted Jordan had repeatedly called for a diplomatic solution to the controversy over Iran's nuclear programme, which the West suspects is a cover to produce a nuclear bomb despite the denials of Tehran.
A cable from the US ambassador to Jordan, Stephen Beecroft, dated April 2009, unveiled by WikiLeaks on Sunday, underlines Jordan's opposition to a military strike.
Its leaders "believe such engagement would reward regional hardliners while undermining Arab moderates, without convincing Iran to cease its support for terrorism, end its nuclear programme or drop its hegemonic aspirations," he wrote.
"The metaphor most commonly deployed by Jordanian officials when discussing Iran is of an octopus whose tentacles reach out insidiously to manipulate, foment, and undermine the best laid plans of the West and regional moderates.
"Iran's tentacles include its allies Qatar and Syria, Hezbollah in Lebanon, Hamas in the Palestinian territories, an Iraqi government sometimes seen as supplicant to Tehran, and Shia communities throughout the region."
According to the leaked documents published in newspapers, King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia and other Gulf leaders have urged the United States to attack Iran to destroy its nuclear programme.
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A cable from the US ambassador to Jordan, Stephen Beecroft, dated April 2009, unveiled by WikiLeaks on Sunday, underlines Jordan's opposition to a military strike.
Its leaders "believe such engagement would reward regional hardliners while undermining Arab moderates, without convincing Iran to cease its support for terrorism, end its nuclear programme or drop its hegemonic aspirations," he wrote.
"The metaphor most commonly deployed by Jordanian officials when discussing Iran is of an octopus whose tentacles reach out insidiously to manipulate, foment, and undermine the best laid plans of the West and regional moderates.
"Iran's tentacles include its allies Qatar and Syria, Hezbollah in Lebanon, Hamas in the Palestinian territories, an Iraqi government sometimes seen as supplicant to Tehran, and Shia communities throughout the region."
According to the leaked documents published in newspapers, King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia and other Gulf leaders have urged the United States to attack Iran to destroy its nuclear programme.
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