Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim on Monday extended his country's support to "credible efforts" toward cessation of mounting hostilities in the Middle East amid the US-Israel offensive on Iran and Tehran's counterattacks.
"Malaysia stands ready to support any credible effort toward a negotiated cessation of hostilities," Anwar said in a statement on US social media platform X.
He called 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."
"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," he further said.
Anwar was apparently referring to Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian's apology for Tehran's attacks on its neighbors, promising restraint unless their territory was used to strike Iran.
"They (restrain calls) deserve to be taken seriously and honored," he maintained.
Yet the situation remains deeply alarming, Anwar observed, adding that Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates have faced repeated attacks.
"Energy facilities, water installations, and other infrastructure that millions depend on for daily life have been hit," he went on to say.
The world's oil and shipping routes run through these waters, he said, noting: "Disruption here carries consequences far beyond the region."
"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," Anwar said.
"Keeping it open takes real courage."
Regional escalation flared up since Israel and the US launched a joint attack on Iran on Feb. 28, killing more than 1,200 people, including Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, and injuring over 10,000 others, according to Iranian authorities.
Tehran retaliated with missile and drone attacks targeting Israel, Iraq, Jordan and Gulf countries that are home to US military assets, killing three Bangladeshis, two each from Pakistan and India, and one each from China and Nepal.
At least three Indonesians went missing after a UAE-flagged tugboat sank in the Strait of Hormuz on Friday.
