Anwar to meet ministers to discuss Middle East crisis

SHAH ALAM: A special meeting is set on Sunday (April 14) to discuss the recent crisis in the Middle East, says Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.

The Prime Minister said the meeting at 6pm on Sunday will also deliberate the next steps involving Malaysians after Iran’s move against Israel.

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“The tension and conflict between Iran and Israel is rooted in Israel’s attack on the Iranian diplomatic complex (in Syria) which clearly went against international law.

“I will be having a special meeting at 6pm with several ministers and officers to draft out the immediate plans to de-escalate the situation,” he told reporters after launching the 5th International Conference on Dr Ambedkar at IDCC here on Sunday.

Asked if the government had decided to evacuate Malaysians from Iran, Anwar said the matter will be discussed in the meeting.

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“Our stance on the international level is of course to demand for a peaceful resolution in the region can be guaranteed as the conflict there would affect global peace and economy,” he added.

Earlier, Wisma Putra in a statement said Malaysia strongly urged all parties in the Middle East to refrain from escalating the already tense situation in the region due to the ongoing Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Mohaamad Hasan said that while Iran claimed to act in self-defence by launching drones at Israel earlier in the day, the international community should not lose sight of ensuring the freedom of Palestine.

The ministry has also issued an advisory to Malaysians currently in Iran, Jordan, Lebanon and Iraq to be fully prepared to have their schedules disrupted.

This comes after the escalation of tensions between Iran and Israel earlier on Sunday.