Malaysia sides with Iran, calls its response ‘legitimate’, but urges stop to escalation
Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim chaired a two-day meeting of the National Security Council. In a statement, he backs Iran’s “legitimate act” against Israel’s “barbaric” raid on its embassy. The Philippines express "great concern" over rising tensions, which have impacted air travel in the region.
Kuala Lumpur (AsiaNews) – Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim says his government supports Iran’s response to Israel’s air strike on the Iranian embassy in Damascus on 1 April, which killed several people, including General Mohammad Reza Zahedi, a senior officer in Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (Pasdaran). For the Malaysian leader, Tehran’s reaction was a “legitimate act”.
Although the launch of hundreds of missiles and drones overnight on 13-14 April against Israel was largely foiled by the country’s air defence system and the intervention of its allies, like the United States, as well as Jordan, and caused limited material damages and only one serious human victim, a girl from Israel’s Bedouin community who was wounded, the attack had a strong emotional impact as the first attempt by Iran to strike at Israeli territory.
Following the attack, Mr Anwar held a special two-day meeting that began yesterday with the National Security Council, in the presence of ministers and high-level officials.
“The attack by Iran is a legitimate act [in response] to the barbarous attack by Tel Aviv on the Islamic Republic’s consulate building adjacent to the Iranian Embassy,” the prime minister said in a special statement.
Mr Anwar welcomed Iran’s assurances that this will be the only reaction barring further attacks by Israel, adding: “We join all of the civilised world to urge the Zionist Israeli regime not to aggravate an already tense situation. There are clear signs indicating that the world has no desire to see a worsening situation.”
The Malaysian leader said that the impact of the situation on the country’s economy has been minimal so far, with the Kuala Lumpur stock market opening slightly lower, reflecting regional trends.
However, he noted that the government would continue monitoring the situation and take preventive measures to ensure the safety, well-being, and prosperity of all Malaysians. “The country's interests will be our primary consideration,” Anwar stated.
The two-day meeting with the National Security Council shows that Malaysia is taking very seriously events and news from the Middle East so as to protect Malaysia and its citizens from the fallout of any military confrontation.
For Anwar, the key to resolving the issue is a just, equitable, and immediate solution to the situation in Gaza, where Israel's war on Hamas, in response to the 7 October attack, has resulted in more than 33,000 deaths and sparked a humanitarian catastrophe.
"[G]lobal attention must be devoted fully to it, with no distractions,” he said. “There must be a durable ceasefire which will enable the passage of humanitarian aid. In this connection, Malaysia’s latest contribution of 100 containers is expected to leave Malaysia on April 27," he added.
In Southeast Asia, the system of alliances is being played out against the backdrop of the escalation between Israel and Iran, a source of great concern in the region’s various countries.
If Malaysia, with a shared religion, backs Iran’s right to defend itself after the embassy raid, in Singapore, the government said that it would defend Jews living in the city-state from the consequences of the war in Gaza. At the same time, it roundly rebuked the Israeli embassy for a post on social media with references to "Israel and Palestine" in the Qur'an, which was deemed "totally unacceptable" because it risked inflaming Muslims’ passion.
In the Philippines, the authorities expressed "serious concern" about the rising tensions; in a statement, the Foreign Affairs Department urged the parties "to work towards a peaceful resolution to their conflict".
Some Philippine lawmakers also called on the government to pay close attention to the fate of Filipinos living and working in Iran and Israel, and prepare itself to repatriate them if necessary.
Lastly, Mideast tensions have a had major impact on air travel, especially on airliners operating between Europe, Southeast Asia, and India that often use Iran’s airspace.
If planes are diverted, like during night of the attack, the duration and costs of flights will necessarily rise as fuel consumption increases. One example is Qantas’s direct Perth to London flight, which had to be rerouted with a stopover in Singapore for extra fuel.
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22/03/2024 16:27
02/02/2022 15:35
