PETALING JAYA: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has welcomed the possibility of a positive resolution to the United States-Iran crisis and the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz.
Anwar said he had received “encouraging indications from the leaders in West Asia” that talks were proceeding on a progressive trajectory.
The Prime Minister stated this in a Facebook post on Sunday (May 24) noting that Malaysia is prepared to offer any support to ensure peace in West Asia, the Middle Eastern region where Iran is located.
“I have received encouraging indications from leaders in West Asia that negotiations towards a framework agreement between the United States and Iran, including the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, are proceeding on a progressive trajectory. I view these developments with earnest optimism.
"Malaysia notes the constructive roles played by Bahrain, Egypt, Jordan, Oman, Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Türkiye and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in facilitating this process. We also welcome US President Donald Trump’s personal engagement in pursuing a negotiated outcome. We hope all parties will seize this opportunity and carry the negotiations through to a successful conclusion.
"We urge all parties to come to an inclusive framework agreement that consolidates the current ceasefire, ensures safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz, and addresses the legitimate security interests of all nations in the region.
"Malaysia stands ready to support any multilateral effort that contributes to lasting peace and stability in West Asia," Anwar said in his Facebook post.
West Asia consists of 18 to 20 countries including Iran, heavily overlapping with the Middle East and spanning from the Mediterranean Sea to the Persian Gulf.
The disruption to the Strait of Hormuz, through which one-fifth of the world’s oil transits, has created one of the biggest shocks to worldwide energy supplies in history.
Iran has largely shut the global artery since the US and Israel conducted the first round of military strikes in late February.
Two giant Chinese tankers carrying a total of 4 million barrels of oil exited the strait on Wednesday after Iran agreed to ease rules for Chinese ships while Trump was in Beijing for a summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping last week.
On April 23, Trump said his administration’s negotiations with Iran were “in the final stages”, while simultaneously warning of further attacks, as a fragile ceasefire concluded its sixth week with no sign of an end to the war.
The US launched “Operation Epic Fury” close to three months ago, in a war that began with strikes inside Iran alongside key ally Israel, which has since spread across the wider Middle East region, killing thousands and disrupting global supply chains.
