KUALA LUMPUR, March 25 — Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has welcomed Pakistan’s timely and constructive offer to host a dialogue between the United States (US) and Iran amid a period of acute regional danger.
In a video posted on Facebook today, Anwar commended his counterpart, Shehbaz Sharif, and leaders of other friendly nations, including Oman, for stepping forward to facilitate diplomacy.
“Pakistan’s relationships with the relevant parties and its standing as a credible voice in the Muslim world place it in a strong position to help create the conditions for meaningful negotiations,” he said.
Anwar said Malaysia supports the initiative and encouraged the US and Iran to respond in the spirit in which it was offered.
“I note with cautious hope the signals, however incomplete, that suggest some space for diplomacy may still exist. That space should be treated with the seriousness it deserves,” he said.
The Prime Minister said any negotiation must proceed on the basis of genuine intent and a clear commitment to ending the conflict, rather than managing its tempo for tactical advantage.
“The international community has seen too many ceasefires that function as pauses rather than conclusions. The region deserves something more durable,” he said.
Anwar said that while Malaysia reaffirms Iran’s right to defend its sovereignty under international law, particularly in the face of continued Israeli strikes in the country and Lebanon, he called on all parties to exercise maximum restraint.
He said this is to ensure that civilian populations and the infrastructure of neighbouring states, namely the Gulf states, are not drawn further into a conflict they did not choose.
“The Gulf states, the region and the world have much at stake economically, socially and in terms of long-term stability, and their peoples must not bear the consequences of decisions taken elsewhere,” he said.
The Prime Minister also raised concerns over the uneven application of the rules-based international order, stating that international law cannot be invoked selectively.
“It (international law) cannot shield one party from accountability while denying another its inherent right to self-defence. Its credibility depends on consistency,” he said.
Anwar also said that he had recently held discussions with leaders of the Gulf Cooperation Council, Türkiye, Egypt, Indonesia, Japan, Pakistan and other partners to understand the situation better and advocate for de-escalation.
“Malaysia will continue to support every credible effort towards a just and lasting peace,” he added. — Bernama
