KUALA LUMPUR, March 26 — Malaysian Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan and Pakistani Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mohammad Ishaq Dar have underscored the need for de-escalation through dialogue and diplomacy amid the war in West Asia.

In a post on X, Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry said Dar and Mohamad discussed the war and issues of mutual interest during a telephone conversation.

“The two leaders discussed recent regional and international developments of mutual interest and emphasised the importance of de-escalation, dialogue, and diplomacy to address ongoing challenges,” it said.

The conversation follows Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s praise of Pakistan’s timely and constructive offer to host a dialogue between the United States (US) and Iran to end the ongoing war.

In a video posted on Facebook on Wednesday, Anwar commended his counterpart Shehbaz Sharif, as well as leaders of other friendly nations such as 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. — Bernama