Jordanian columnists tackled a wide range of political, security, economic, and public health issues amid escalating regional tensions and increasingly complex challenges directly affecting Jordan. The articles focused on the northern border, energy security, the future of anti smoking policies, as well as the repercussions of regional wars and Jordan’s position amid rapid geopolitical shifts.

In this context, columnist Maher Abu Tair warned about the growing dangers in southern Syria, describing the area as a “belt of drugs, weapons, smuggling, and criminal networks.” He noted that Jordan had carried out multiple airstrikes against these hubs in recent years. Abu Tair said that “what is most striking is the way drug traffickers suddenly mourn for families and children who may allegedly be harmed by the strikes,” while at the same time “destroying tens of thousands of Jordanian families” through the flow of narcotics into the Kingdom.

He argued that the smugglers’ rhetoric about civilians reflects “a morally degraded logic,” stressing that these groups “should not have attacked a neighboring country like Jordan in the first place, nor engaged in illegal and suspicious trade that fuels crimes on a daily basis.”

Abu Tair also raised concerns over the presence of anti aircraft weapons and rocket launchers in the area, asking: “Where did these anti aircraft systems and launchers come from?” He warned that southern Syria “has effectively become a warehouse of dangerous weapons that could target Jordan at any moment.”

The columnist described the southern Syrian file as “a highly complex political and security issue,” calling for “a joint Jordanian Syrian plan to cleanse southern Syria of uncontrolled weapons and narcotics.” He suggested that Jordan may eventually be forced to establish “buffer zones or buffer borders between the two countries instead of living under the constant threat of drug and weapons smuggling and attacks against Jordanians.”

On the economic front, columnist Ahmad Awad argued that the approval of Jordan’s Energy Strategy for 2025–2035 came at “the right time,” especially given how the regional crisis exposed the vulnerability of energy importing countries during wars and supply disruptions.

Awad explained that Jordan’s core challenge lies in its “heavy dependence on external sources to meet the majority of its energy needs,” making the economy “more vulnerable to external shocks, whether through import bills, electricity and transport costs, or pressures on public finances.”

He noted that the new strategy seeks to address the root of the problem “through parallel tracks that include increasing reliance on local resources, expanding renewable energy, improving energy efficiency, developing infrastructure, and reducing losses.”

However, Awad stressed that the strategy’s success should not be measured solely through technical indicators, but also by its direct impact on citizens’ daily lives. He said that “one of today’s biggest problems is that household energy costs remain extremely high,” adding that people need to feel these policies will “gradually reduce their monthly bills and improve their purchasing power.”

He also called for revising customs and tax policies to encourage the adoption of electric vehicles, arguing that “every carefully planned expansion in the use of electric cars can lower transportation costs and reduce dependence on imported fuel.”

Awad warned against treating the strategy “as merely a celebratory achievement,” emphasizing that “the real challenge lies not in drafting objectives, but in the ability to implement them.” He added that the success of Jordan’s energy transition depends on public trust and on delivering “tangible improvements in bills, services, and costs.”

Meanwhile, Dr. Asem Mansour discussed Britain’s latest anti smoking legislation, which bans cigarette sales to anyone born in 2009 or later as part of a plan to create a “smoke free generation.”

Mansour noted that the British law grants authorities “broader powers to regulate tobacco products and electronic cigarettes,” describing the move as “a positive development” after years of leniency toward vaping.

He questioned whether a similar model could work in Jordan, where “smoking rates are far higher than in Britain,” stressing that any comparable law would require “strict enforcement mechanisms, long term awareness campaigns, and genuine smoking cessation programs.”

Mansour added that some officials argue tighter restrictions on tobacco sales would “open the door to black markets,” but he rejected this reasoning, saying that “the unspoken issue is the significant tax revenues generated by the tobacco trade.”

He described this thinking as “economically short sighted,” arguing that “every dinar earned today will eventually cost future generations many times more in healthcare expenses caused by smoking related diseases.”

In the conclusion of his article, Mansour urged the government to take “bold decisions” to protect future generations, emphasizing that fighting smoking requires “political commitment” and the ability to turn legislation into “real behavioral change.”

For his part, columnist Fahd Al Khaitan focused on the regional war and its consequences for all sides involved, arguing that “the three parties are trapped,” referring to US President Donald Trump, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and Iran’s Supreme Leader.

Al Khaitan stated that “resuming the fighting offers no guarantee of better outcomes for the American Israeli alliance,” adding that it has become “certain that the Iranian regime cannot be toppled through military action.”

He argued that ending the war without an agreement would be “more costly than resuming it,” because all parties would face severe political, economic, and electoral repercussions. He added that “Democratic campaigns will directly challenge the Republican narrative of victory.”

According to Al Khaitan, Iran, despite the damage it suffered, “has endured,” and its missiles “remain capable of striking Tel Aviv,” while “the Revolutionary Guard will never forgive Israel for assassinating the Supreme Leader.”

He also warned that prolonging the conflict would mean “a suffocating economic siege on Iran,” severe damage to oil infrastructure, and deeper economic collapse, though he added that the war “has united Iranians against external aggressors.”

Al Khaitan concluded by saying that this conflict, “unlike any war in history, carries a costly ending for all sides,” and that the entire world “has paid the price from its own pocket.”

Meanwhile, columnist Samih Al Maaytah focused on Jordan’s position amid regional transformations, stressing that “Jordan’s eyes are fixed on several simultaneous files,” most notably the West Bank, the northern border, and regional security threats.

He said Jordan remains deeply concerned about “Israeli measures targeting Palestinian resilience on their land,” arguing that the ultimate Israeli goal is “to eliminate the idea of a Palestinian state.”

Al Maaytah stressed that “the West Bank is Palestinian land and must remain so,” warning against projects of “displacement and resettlement” or any alternatives to Palestinian statehood.

He also noted that the recent war exposed “sources of threat to Jordanian national security” shared with Gulf countries, whether through “direct Iranian aggression or its regional extensions.”

Regarding southern Syria, Al Maaytah said that despite the fall of the previous Syrian regime, threats have not disappeared, emphasizing that Jordan still faces “the danger of weapons and drug smuggling, which goes beyond commerce into politics.”

He concluded by stressing that “Jordan’s compass remains focused on its own interests and stability,” and that the Kingdom’s policies are ultimately aimed at protecting national security amid an increasingly volatile regional environment.