KUALA LUMPUR, March 2 — Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim in Parliament this morning condemned the US and Israel’s attack on Iran, blasting it as a flagrant violation of international law as he repeated calls for a ceasefire.

“Malaysia strongly condemns the assault on Iran by the US and Zionist regime,” he said during a special communication session.

“Iran is a free and sovereign state and no matter what your differences are, what they are doing goes against global order,” the Tambun MP added. 

Iran’s Red Crescent society said that joint strikes by the US and Israel, which began on Saturday, killed at least 201 people and wounded more than 700. 

From the 201 killed, most were children.

The bombardment happened despite reports suggesting ongoing positive talks between Tehran and Washington regarding the latter’s nuclear programme.

Anwar said that as a small and middle power nation, Malaysia can only call for an immediate and unconditional ceasefire even as he called the attacks on Iran barbaric and illegal. 

The Tambun MP then slammed Israel as the only country allowed to act with impunity, citing Tel Aviv’s assault on several countries in the last four years alone.

“Should there be any grounds for dispute, they must return to the negotiating table in a constructive manner,” the Pakatan Harapan chairman told Parliament.

“The global order, including the United Nations —with the recent statement by Secretary-General Guterres—clearly binds member states to abide by international law,” he said.

“Yet, Israel is the only country that continuously violates international resolutions. Today it is Iran, yesterday Lebanon, and before that Iraq and Syria, while the slaughter of the people of Palestine and Gaza continues to this day,” Anwar added.

Anwar’s condemnation of the attacks received bipartisan support. 

Opposition Leader Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainudin said the prime minister should be commended for unequivocally slamming Washington and Israel for what he described as an inhuman attack on Iran.

“I would like to praise and congratulate the government, especially Tambun, for a stern and firm statement opposing Zionist cruelty,” Hamzah said.

MORE TO COME