KUALA LUMPUR, April 19 — The government will hold a special meeting this afternoon to discuss the latest situation in Iran, including the possibility of repatriating Malaysians, following Israel’s attack on that country, said Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.

The prime minister said the meeting would be held with the Foreign Ministry.

He reiterated Malaysia’s stand of condemning Israel’s bombing of the Iranian consulate in the Syrian capital early this month, which provoked Iran into launching a retaliatory strike against Israel.

"The Zionist Israel has cruelly attacked the Iranian consulate (in Damascus), so this violated all international laws. But if you look at the narratives and statements from Western countries, almost none condemned or protested,” he told reporters after performing Friday prayers at Masjid Bandar Teknologi Kajang here today.

He said Iran had retaliated with a controlled attack on Israel and now Israel was using this as an excuse to strike back at Iran.

"Our stand is first, we must condemn the attack on the embassy. Second, we want peace.

"The people affected are not only those in the Middle East, the Arab world, Iran but the whole world because this will cause oil prices to shoot up, transport (cost) to surge,” he said.

He said Malaysia was pushing for peace guarantees and a forceful stop to the atrocities committed by Israel, as the big Western powers were reluctant to take action to check Israel’s aggression.

International news agencies reported that Israel launched an attack on Iranian soil today in response to Iran’s strike last weekend which saw about 300 missiles and drones fired towards Israel.

However, most of the drones and missiles aimed at Israel were intercepted. — Bernama