Jordan's King Abdullah has said that if Iran is "playing mischief" in the Middle East region, then its regime is being allowed to make mischief.

Abdullah told The Wall Street Journal in an interview published on Tuesday, "If there are those that are saying that Iran is playing mischief, then, I say it is being allowed to play mischief. The platform they use is the injustice of the Palestinians and Jerusalem."

The king, who will be attending U.S. President Barack Obama's nuclear security summit next week, said, if the platform, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, for Iran's behavior goes away, Iran's influence through Hezbollah and Hamas in Gaza "diminishes or becomes non-existent."

Leaders of Iran have made provocative statements about Israel, including denying that the Holocaust occurred, and it is pursuing a nuclear program that Western leaders fear is for the development of nuclear weapons.

He was "really against any military action in Iran -- that is Pandora's box. But by dealing with the core issue, that's when you start taking cards away from the Iranian regime," Abdullah further said.

Optimism was expressed by him about Iraq's future because "I believe in the Iraqi people and the vision of their nation to move forward," no matter how long it takes.

He also said, "I've described Iraq as a slow, steady pace towards the light. I think this is a new phase in their lives with this new election and we (Arab countries) should be there for them. I'm optimistic and I believe in the national spirit of the Iraqis." (With Inputs from Agencies)