In line with the principled bipartisan stand taken by the Malaysian Parliament, I am encouraged by calls of restraint that have emerged from the highest levels in Iran amid the continuing conflict across the Gulf and wider West Asia.
They deserve to be taken seriously and honoured. There will always be voices urging a harder line, but history has rarely been kind to those who chose escalation over negotiation when the door to dialogue was still open. Keeping it open takes real courage.
Yet the situation remains deeply alarming. Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates have faced repeated attacks. The violence has also reached Azerbaijan, Jordan and Turkey. Energy facilities, water installations and other infrastructure that millions depend on for daily life have been hit. The world’s oil and shipping routes run through these waters. Disruption here carries consequences far beyond the region.
Malaysia stands ready to support any credible effort toward a negotiated cessation of hostilities. I call on the international community to act with urgency and purpose before this conflict claims yet more lives and pulls yet more nations into its wake.
: Anwar Ibrahim
Prime Minister of Malaysia